HORTTPTTI.TURE. 



851 



surface and oovored 4 to 5 in. with soil. Two ollierliills were left uniiiannivd. The 

 data obtained are sununari/ed in the followinjr tal>le: 



Effect of different methods of manuriit;/ niuxLinifoDs. 



Method (if Jiianurins 



Manure ill cireular treneli 



Manure well workerl into tlie soil 



Manure placed under the hill 



Unmanured 



Time to 

 maturity. 



Jku/s. 

 95. 35 



S5. (iO 

 k;». (12 

 103.11 



Average 



number of 



fruits per 



hill. 



7.92 

 8. 2'2 

 7.27 

 5.33 



Average 



weight of 



fruits. 



Ounces. 

 32.97 

 29. 63 

 30.00 

 32.54 



The table show.s that the earliest melon.s and the large.st number per hill were 

 obtained when the manure was applied to the surface of the ground and well worked 

 into the soil. This method of manuring is also the most feasible for commercial 

 growing, since, instead of hills, continuously manured furrows 8 to 10 ft. apart can 

 be used and the manure thoroughly worked into the soil Avith a bull-tongue or single- 

 shovel plow passing back and forth. The furrows should finally be thrown into a 

 low, broad ridge with a light plow and thoroughly dragged and harrowed. Melons 

 can be planted on this ridge about 18 in. apart in the row. Placing the manure in 

 circular trenches or underneath the hills is too expensive except for limited areas. 



The necessity of warm, light sandy soil for commercial mitskmelon growing and 

 the use of vegetable nitrogenous manures are pointed out by the author, and cita- 

 tions given from various writers on muskmelon growing to substantiate these views. 



For commercial purposes netted melons are most in demand. The smooth-skinned, 

 green-rind types are considered undesirable for culture in the region of the station 

 on accovmt of their greater liability to sun scald. Productiveness, firmness, high 

 cjualitN', uniformity in size, attractive appearance, and keeping quality are the points 

 necessary to consider in good shipping melons. The following melons are consid- 

 ered best for shipment: Golden Netted (iem, Rocky ford, New Jersey Improved 

 Button Strain of Extra Pearly Jenny Lind, Early Netted Gem. For local market the 

 varieties Early Hackensack, Emerald Gem, Paul Rose, Kinsman Queen, INIontreal 

 Green Nutmeg, Bay View, and New Orleans Market are considered preferable. 



Additional notes are given on harvesting and shipping melons. 



Indoor tomato culture with chemical fertilizers, W. Stu.vrt {Indiana Sfa. 

 Rpt. 1901, pp. 26-50, pi. .Z).— A study was made with chemical fertilizers to determine 

 the particular element or elements of plant food necessary to the development of a 

 maximum crop of fruit. The crop was grown in both benches and pots indoors. 

 Subwatering was practiced in both cases and a black loam soil of medium fertility 

 used. The phosphoric fertilizers used were mixed with the soil before setting the 

 plants; other fertilizers were either lightly stirred into the surface soil or applied in 

 solution by the subwatering method. The Stone, Lorillard, and Sutton Best of All 

 varieties were used. The plants were trained to a single stem and the blossoms pol- 

 lenized by jarring the flowers over a piece of glass 2^ by 5 in., and touching the 

 stigmas to the pollen collected on it or by transferring the pollen ])y means of a 

 camel' s-hair brush to the stigmas. 



In the bench experiments the 3 essential fertilizer elements were used alone and 

 combined in 2's and 3's. The average product obtained in 3 years on an area of 3|by 

 4| ft., when no fertilizers were used, was 18 ll)s.; when nitrate of soda was u.sed, 21| 

 lbs.; nitrate of soda and acid phosphate, 27jVlbs. ; nitrate of soda, acid phosphate, 

 and muriate of potash, 29} lbs.; and acid phosj)hate and nniriate of potash, 21 lbs. 



In the pot experiments the addition of nitrate of soda increased the yield 16 per 

 cent over the control pot; nitrate of soda and muriate of potash, 35 per cent; nitrate 



