MUSKMELON 287 



Muskmelon is one of the most healthful and de- 

 licious of fruits, and our warm, bright summers are 

 especially favorable to its growth. As far north as Minne- 

 apolis, this fruit is often so plentiful as to glut the markets 

 in September. It is grown in large quantities in Colorado, 

 Indiana, Illinois, Georgia, Texas, and New Jersey and 

 shipped to Northern markets. 



Culture. The culture of muskmelons is practically 

 the same as that recommended for cucumbers, and the 

 insect pests are also the same. A warm soil is, if anything, 

 more desirable for this crop than for cucumbers, and in 

 moist seasons it does especially well on very sandy land, 

 providing it has been well manured. 



In common with other vegetables it is important that 

 only good seed be used for growing muskmelons. Large 

 amounts are raised in Colorado, New Jersey, and Cali- 

 fornia. Some of the Southern growers make it a practice 

 to send to Colorado every year for special varieties, such 

 as Rocky ford. They find they have better results than 

 when growing it on their own places. 



It is a good plan to pinch off the ends of the vines, 

 after they have grown several feet, for the purpose of 

 forcing out the laterals on which the fruit is borne, although 

 this is not customary in growing them on a large scale. 

 Late settings of fruit may be removed to advantage in 

 September, as they then have not time to mature. 



Harvesting. The fruit is not ripe until the stem sepa- 

 rates easily from it. Fruit ripened on the vine is of the 

 best quality, but for shipping purposes it should be picked 

 when still green. Almost without exception, melons with 

 finely netted skins are of better quality than those with 

 smooth or coarsely netted skins. So true is this that 

 buyers often refuse to buy the smooth kinds. In order 



