SQUASH AND MELON CULTURE. 19 



it but do not like it, and have abandoned its cultivation. It is too 

 late, and has too many seeds and too little flesh, being almost as 

 seedy as a pumpkin. 



Yokohama. This is a variety from Japan ; it is flattish in shape, 

 deeply ribbed, and greenish colored, tm-ning yellow when quite ripe. 

 It is recommended as a good squash but I have never tried it. 



Winter Crookyieck. This is an old fashioned squash ; it is 

 excellent for pies, one of the best of keepers, and still has its 

 friends ; but I do uot consider it as worthy of general cultivation. 



Melons. 



The cultivation of melons is very much the same as that of 

 squashes. Yet there are some points of difference which should be 

 briefly noticed. 



Melons require a warmer and lighter soil than squashes. They 

 will grow on poorer land if it is only early and warm. The manure 

 should be mostly applied in the hill, and of a more heating nature 

 than for squashes, while they will not require so much spread on. 

 All green, coarse manure should be avoided, as it will produce 

 too much vine and delay the setting of the fruit too long. Use 

 hen manure, guano, animal fertilizer, or composted night soil and 

 stable manure. The}' should be planted nearer together than 

 squashes — five feet apart being about right. They will not bear so 

 deep planting as squashes — from three-quarters of an inch to an 

 inch and a half is deep enough. Plant ten or twelve seeds in each 

 hill, and thin to half that number. Watermelon seeds should be 

 soaked in warm water two days before planting, to hasten ger- 

 mination, as they are very slow about coming up. 



When one's soil is cold, melons may sometimes be raised by 

 filling a large hole with compost, and covering it with soil, in which 

 half its bulk of sand is mixed. A little sand used this way will 

 help them very much. Frequent cultivation and hoeing is very 

 essential, in order to hasten their growth. 



Wlien Should the Fruit be Gathered ? This is a very important 

 matter, for a green melon is worthless, and they will spoil very soon 

 after the}^ are ripe. The ripening of muslauelons may be readily 

 detected by the change of color, and by the separation of the stem 

 from the fruit, if ripe ; but if green it will hold quite strongly, and 

 finally ))reak if forced. It is more diflScult to tell when a water- 

 melon is ripe, but an experienced grower will readily detect the ripe 



