60 Muskmelon 



surface of the earth will remain dry. If the sur- 

 face soil becomes wet it is likely to crust, when it 

 should be raked in order to allow the young plants 

 to push their way through to the light and air. 



When saving muskmelons for seed, select the mel- 

 ons which have thickly netted skins. The vines 

 should be pinched off at the second joint and the 

 melon left to ripen in the sun before all the vine is 

 removed. The seed should first be dried in the sun, 

 then washed thoroughly and left to dry again be- 

 fore storing away. Mice are very eager for melon 

 seeds of all kinds, hence they should be carefully 

 stored away or you may find in the spring that 

 the pulp has been eaten from all the fattest and 

 best seeds. 



. 



Melons, cucumbers, squash, and Lima beans, are 

 easily injured by frost and should always be cov- 

 ered with hay or straw when first set out, and this 

 covering left on until all danger of frost is past. 



Melons should be picked as soon as ripe, and 

 never allowed to stay on the vines after they are 

 ready to eat. They ripen just as well if picked 

 green and taken into the house and kept until 

 just a few days before time to eat, when they should 



