IRRJGATION OF THE GARDEN. 189 



practice of irrigation, more water than that ascribed for 

 the cabbage may be given. 



Watermelons. In Colorado this is often a field 

 crop. The best soil for the melon patch is a sandy loam. 

 This should be heavily manured. Melons of all kinds 

 need an abundance of humus in order to thrive best, 

 and this should be supplied in the form of stable manure. 

 If manure is plentiful, scatter it thickly over the whole 

 field ; if rather scarce, economize by manuring in the hills. 

 Usually the ground is plowed, pulverized, then furrowed 

 eight feet each way and the seeds planted about half- 

 way up the sides of the ridges. It is better for the start- 

 ing of the crop if rains afford moisture enough to ger- 

 minate the seeds ; but in case of severe drouth, water is 

 sometimes run in the rows before planting, and perhaps 

 more frequently after planting. Sod ground has 

 advantages in the matter of irrigation, as the soil is 

 full of grass roots and exceedingly porous, thus taking 

 up water readily from the bottom of the furrow, and the 

 moisture finds its way to the plant from below by cap- 

 illarity. Cultivation should be commenced as soon as 

 the plants show above the ground, and continued at fre- 

 quent intervals until the growth of the vines makes it 

 impracticable. Three irrigations usually suffice if the 

 soil be well cultivated, but many growers irrigate four 

 to six times, making the water take the place of cultiva- 

 tion. The best melons are produced with two or three 

 irrigations and frequent stirring of the soil so long as 

 possible. As long as the vines show a frosty appearance 

 in the sunlight they are thrifty and are not suffering for 

 water. In no instance should irrigation be given to the 

 melon crop after the fruit is half grown, as the last days 

 of the melon's existence in the field are needed for the 

 chemical action that is going on in changing the juices 

 into saccharine by the crystalizing process of the sun 

 and the action of the air. Flooding is forbidden, as it 



