CANTALOUPE CULTURE AND PEDIGREED CANTALOUPE SEED. 



ditions for germination and is sufficient for the needs of the plants in all 

 the early irrigations. Later the rows can be soaked till moisture shows 

 on surface back to the plants as in Plate No. 8. 



Under Colorado conditions, one irrigation after planting, and one 

 again about the time the plants are coming up, is ordinarily all that 

 is required until after the first cultivation, after that irrigation and 

 cultivation alternate each other every week or ten days, the exact number 

 of times depending on the weather and soil conditions. 



The amount of irrigation necessary to secure the best results in 

 cantaloupe culture, is subject to so many varying factors, that it is 

 impossible to lay down an exact rule. In the first place, the cantaloupe 

 does not thrive in a wet soil, as evidenced by the injury and poor quality 

 of the crop in seasons of excessive rain. The needs of the crop in the 

 first stages are very small, and as light watering as possible to secure 

 the needed moisture, is best; then as the plant developes the amount of 

 irrigation should be increased, light, frequent irrigations, rather than 

 heavy soakings at long intervals has proven to be the best plan. 



When the vines are nearly grown and set full of developing fruit 

 a heavier irrigation is then needed by the plant, but as soon as the fruit 

 have reached their growth, light waterings should again be the rule; to 

 insure the best quality, little if any irrigation should be applied during 

 the picking season, just enough to prevent severe wilting; it is at this 

 time that the cantaloupe "rust" fungus makes its appearance, and 

 moisture and dews are favorable to its development. 



The dryer the season, the better the quality in cantaloupes, is 

 an axiom that should induce more careful irrigation among cantaloupe 

 growers in the irrigated sections. 



The relation of irrigation to early setting of cantaloupes is a some- 

 what mooted question; there are growers who argue the use of frequent 

 irrigations during the setting period in order to secure a good set, but 

 others prefer to keep their vines dry, even allowing them to show the 

 need of moisture before they will permit irrigation during this stage. 



It is evident that the season and climatic conditions have more 

 to do with the setting of fruit than the watering; there are experiences 

 that might seem to support both theories; yet continued observations 

 would indicate that a grower is not warranted in following either course 

 to the extreme, but rather the medium plan of providing just enough 

 moisture to secure an even, healthy growth all the way through, would 

 seem to be most favorable condition. 



An excess of water in hot weather is apt to induce a heavy growth 

 of vine at the expense of early "sets" due to the rank growth, and such 

 succulent growth is also much more liable to succumb to the attack of 

 diseases and insect pests. 



CULTIVATION AND CARE 



If there is a secret in getting early cantaloupes, it is in growing 

 them from start to finish in such a way that the growth is not checked 



14 



