MUSKMELON 351 



composted for a month or more and then chopped up 

 with a spade into small pieces. Sods and manure may 

 be composted together, as discussed on page 72, and 

 sods are often placed in the bottom of the beds before 

 they are filled with properly prepared soil. While the 

 soil should be firm and fairly compact, yet it must be 

 open and porous. Melon roots revel in soils which 

 abound in vegetable fiber, as provided by the use of 

 chopped up sods and rotten manure, and the drainage 

 conditions must be perfect. Because .of the loose struc- 

 ture of soils prepared in the manner described, it is neces- 

 sary to do more or less packing of the compost when the 

 beds are filled. 



Melons are planted at about the same distances as 

 cucumbers. From 15 to 18 inches between plants, and 

 the rows 30 to 36 inches apart, will be found satisfactory. 

 Planting distances, however, will depend mainly on the 

 system of training which is to be followed. The plants 

 should be removed from the pots with care so that the 

 balls of earth will not be broken. 



Watering. The melon requires an abundance of soil 

 moisture, though over-watering must be avoided. It is 

 desirable to have a liberal supply of moisture in the soil 

 when the beds are planted and to add enough water after 

 the plants are set to settle and compact the earth about 

 the roots. After this operation no more water should be 

 applied than is necessary to maintain normal, healthy 

 growth until the fruits are formed, and then the plants 

 will require more water. After the fruit has practically 

 attained full size and the ripening process has begun, less 

 water should be used, for a superabundance of water 

 during the ripening period is detrimental to the flavor of 

 the fruit. The wilting of the plants should not be per- 

 mitted at any time. 



The humidity of the house for melons seems to require 

 about as much consideration as the moisture content of 



