GROWING MUSKMELONS FOR MARKET. I95 



It is very essential for the grower to get his melons on the 

 market as early as possible, for the early ones bring a much better 

 price than the late ones. The first few days melons are on the St. 

 Paul market they usually bring about $3.00 a bushel, while in three 

 or four weeks they are hard to sell at twenty-five cents. This shows 

 the importance of putting forth every effort to get the crop on the 

 market early. 



In order to raise melons for early market growers resort to 

 methods of forcing the plants under glass and transplanting, and 

 starting under glass in the field. The latter way is probably the 

 most practicable, as the hotbed melons are set back when trans- 

 planted. 



The nutmeg varieties are very good for early results, but the 

 salmon-fleshed late varieties are of better quality and are used for 

 the later crops. 



Prof. Washburn : Are you troubled with insects ? 



Mr. Bailey : Even as clean as we can and aim to keep our melon 

 field the cut-worms do work in from the side. They get across 

 no matter where we have our melons, and they destroyed all our 

 early melons. 



Prof. Washburn : . Was the blight bad on the melons them- 

 selves ? 



Mr. Bailey : Yes, it was. 



Prof. Washburn : Could you not check it in any way ? 



Mr. Bailey : So far we have not been able to do anything to 

 prevent it. 



Prof. Washburn : Do you suppose if you had taken it in hand 

 early enough you could have prevented it by the use of Bordeaux 

 mixture ? 



Mr. Bailey : I don't think so. We tried Bordeaux and ex- 

 perimented with it in various ways, but had no success whatever 

 in preventing blight. This disease does no harm when the atmos- 

 phere is dry, but as soon as the atmosphere becomes moist — and on 

 damp days it is worse — it does not take long to destroy the whole 

 patch. 



Prof. Washburn : Then the Bordeaux has no effect on it ? 



Mr. Bailey : I think not. I have corresponded with a number 

 of other melon growers, and they seem to have had the same ex- 

 perience with Bordeaux. I do not think it is of any benefit what- 

 ever to prevent blight. 



Mr. P. Clausen : I would like to ask Mr. Bailey whether he 

 ever tried planting them out in small pots? 



Mr. Bailey : Yes, I have tried that with fairly good success. 

 Another method that is very good is to use this same paper, but 

 make the cylinders smaller, about four inches in diameter, using 

 the same kind of a fastener. Put them in the hotbed without any 

 bottom. When I set them out I just peel the paper off. Another 

 method is to use an inverted piece of sod. Use some bluegrass 



