THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 299 



planters compact the soil with the hoe, while others use the feet. 

 When ready for planting, the hill should be practically level with 

 the general surface of the field. If too low, the hill will become 

 water-soaked in case of rain and the seeds or plants injured; if too 

 high, there is likely to be insufficient moisture to insure proper ger- 

 mination and growth. 



Planting the Seed. If the hills have been made more than a 

 few minutes before ^the seed is dropped, the top layer of dry soil 

 should be scraped aside with a hoe so that the seed may be placed in 

 immediate contact with moist soil. The area thus prepared for plant- 

 ing the seed should be at least six inches across, and should be smooth 

 and level. From ten to fifteen seeds should be scattered uniformly 

 over this area, and covered with about half an inch of fine, moist soil. 

 This should be firmed with the back of the hoe and then covered with 

 a sprinkle of loose dirt to serve as a mulch. If a heavy rain packs the 

 top of soil and a crust is formed before the plant appears, it is wise to 

 go over the field and carefully break the crust over each hill by 

 means of a garden rake. The method of preparing the hills and 

 planting the seed described above applies to field rather than garden 

 conditions and to soils of medium rather than excessive fertility. In 

 a market garden where the soil is exceedingly rich as a result of re- 

 peated manuring for onions or cabbage, and is in fine tilth, it is a 

 common practice to sow the melon seed in drills six to eight feet 

 apart, by means of a garden seed drill. This is done without any 

 special preparation of the soil where the plants are to stand, or ap- 

 plication of fertilizing material other than manure applied broad- 

 cast before plowing. 



Thinning. While ten to fifteen seeds are planted per hill for 

 the sake of insuring a full stand, only two, or at most three, plants 

 are left to make the crop. Thinning is usually deferred until the 

 plants have become fully established, and the struggle against the 

 striped beetle is nearly over. However, the plants must be thinned 

 before they begin to crowd badly, or those which are to remain will 

 be stunted in growth. Usually the thinning is completed by the 

 time the plants have four rough leaves. If the seed has been well 

 scattered in planting, so that each plant stands apart by itself, the 

 superfluous plants may be pulled with the fingers, but extreme care 

 must be taken to avoid disturbing the roots of the remaining plants. 

 Sometimes the plants are cut off with a knife or shears, instead of 

 being pulled, and thus all danger of disturbing the roots is avoided. 

 If the seeds have been.sown with a drill as in market gardening prac- 

 tice, the plants are usually thinned to one in a place at distances of 

 two to two and one-half feet in the row. 



Transplanting. Since it is impossible to increase the earliness 

 of the crop to any great extent by early planting in the field, grow- 

 ers have adopted the transplanting method. This makes it possible 

 to plant the seed three or four weeks earlier than would otherwise be 

 feasible, and to grow the plants under controlled conditions of tem- 

 perature and moisture during their most critical period. It also sim- 

 plifies the matter of protection from striped bettlcs. Tho main oh- 



