350 VEGETABLE FORCING 



Fertilizing. The fertilizer requirements of the melon 

 and cucumber are very similar. Good melons cannot be 

 grown in a soil that is not well provided with plant food. 

 Although a fertile soil is essential, excessive fertility, 

 especially in available nitrogen, must be avoided, since 

 it will encourage a rank growth, and result in the pro- 

 duction of low quality melons. In the preparation of the 

 soil, one should endeavor to supply nutrients sufficient to 

 cause a healthy, normal growth until the fruit is set, and 

 then more liberal feeding should be practiced. Nitrog- 

 enous manures and fertilizers used in the preparation 

 of the beds should not be employed in large amounts, if 

 at all. Among such materials may be mentioned fresh 

 horse manure, poultry droppings, sheep manure, nitrate 

 of soda and dried blood. Well-decayed manures, particu- 

 larly cow manure, may be used in large amounts without 

 danger of disastrous results in any respect. 



When the fruit is set, then more liberal feeding is re- 

 quired to insure the production of large melons and the 

 development of high quality. A common practice is to 

 employ at this stage liquid cow manure and to apply it 

 as often as may be necessary. The frequency of the 

 application will depend mainly on the fertility of the bed. 

 Ordinarily, one or two applications a week will meet the 

 needs of the plant. 



Some growers prefer to apply chemical fertilizers after 

 the fruit is set, for they claim that materials like the 

 potash salts, acid phosphate and nitrate of soda produce 

 melons of higher quality than does liquid cow manure. 

 Wood ashes are sometimes employed as a top-dressing. 

 Lime is also considered beneficial. If the roots appear 

 in large numbers near the surface of the ground, a dress- 

 ing of rich soil an inch deep will be found beneficial. 



Soil preparation. The English growers attach special 

 importance to the use of old sods in the preparation of 

 soil for melons. The sods may be several inches thick. 



