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364 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
As soon as the seed is planted, the trouble begins. We fight 
striped squirrels, field mice, white grubs, cutworms, striped bugs, 
frost, weeds and two-legged marauders. Shoot the squirrels, use 
squash-seed loaded with strychnine for field mice,dig out cutworms 
and pinch off their heads, going over the whole field every morning 
for several days ina bad season. If there is possible danger of 
frost, cover each hill with a handful of straw and leave it on until 
the weather moderates. A man will covera good many acres in half 
a day. 
Varieties. Avoid too many varieties. Two or at most three varie- 
ties of muskmelons and as many of watermelons are enough. One 
extra early, one late with, perhaps, an intermediate variety to pro- 
vide aclose succession. The best early muskmelon I have not found 
yet. We have grown Netted Gem, Emerald Gem, Orange, Christiana 
and White Japan. The first three are too small and soft; the last 
two inferior in quality. The Osage is all right for the medium and 
late market, though in a wet year it cracks badly. On sandy land it 
is first quality, good size, neither too large or too small, and with 
good care it is an extra good cropper. 
With us the Peerless (seed fromW. Atlee Burpee) stands first as an 
early watermelon from, perhaps, a dozen varieties tried. This strain 
of Peerless is a large, oblong melon, and is an extra good handler, 
not easily broken, and will not grow hollow-hearted if kepta few 
days. Our main crop is Seminole. In season it ranges from me- 
dium to late. Itis of extra good quality and good size; specimens 
last year weighed forty-two pounds. Itisafair shipper. Its great- 
est objection is its light color. I am trying to grow it with a darker 
skin. 
We try to raise most of our seed, once we have decided upon 
a variety. By being careful to keep varieties separate, and taking 
seed from only choicest fruits,even the best varieties may be im- 
proved from year to year. 
We havea small space which we call our trial grounds, and in this 
we raise a few new varieties each year. Asa result of our experi- 
ments last year, we shall planta trial field of one acre of Melrose 
muskmelons, as I believe it to be a gem, judging by a single year’s 
experience. 
Drainage is an important item in the culture of all plants. All 
sorts of coarse material are used for this purpose, but bits of broken 
charcoal are better fot this purpose than anything else, because it 
helps to keep the soil in the bottom of the pot sweet and healthful. 
The smaller sizes of pots will need only a few pieces scattered over 
the bottom; three and four inch pots require an inch of drainage, 
and five and six inch sizes and upward, two inches and more ac- 
cording to their depth. A layer of moss or cocoa-fiber should be 
placed above the drain to keep the soil from washing down into 
and clogging it. 
