CROPS 81 



head lettuce and loose leaf, or non-heading lettuce. What 

 variety shall be grown is a question to be decided by the 

 market demands. Tennis Ball and the numerous strains 

 of this variety are generally grown for head lettuce. Grand 

 Rapids and other loose leaf varieties are grown for loose 

 headed lettuce. Cos Lettuce is an excellent kind rapidly 

 coming into favor. It is an upright grower with a compact 

 head. The leaves are crisp and tender, and possess a fine 

 flavor. 



XIII. MUSKMELON 



Soil. Muskmelons may be grown successfully on a 

 variety of soils, but the lighter soils, well filled with humus, 

 are preferred. Climatic conditions are apparently of more 

 influence than soils on this crop, the muskmelon not stand- 

 ing frosts. Hot days and warm nights are very favorable 

 for its rapid development. Care must be had that sufficient 

 water is available at all times as a lack of moisture is sure 

 to cause weakened plants and fruits of small size. In the 

 West, where alkali is present, irrigation must not be too late 

 or the flavor of the fruit will be hurt. 



Planting. Plant the seed in the open only after all 

 danger of frost is passed. To secure the earliest results, 

 successive plantings at intervals of a week may be made, 

 and the undesired plants may be pulled or hoed out. 



A plan followed by many growers is to start the seed in 

 pots or small baskets, not over four weeks before the time 

 for setting the plants in the field. The plants are grown in 

 hot beds or green-houses, and the temperature during the 

 last week is kept as nearly as possible the same as that 

 prevailing in the field. 



The plants are carefully removed from the pots or baskets 

 with all the earth in which they have grown, care being taken 



