IRRIGATING CANTALOUPS. 281 



monly believed to be detrimental to the quality of the 

 melons. 



The land should be so laid out that the rows may be irri- 

 gated without submerging the vines and the fruit. One 

 good way to accomplish this, and also to fertilize the soil, 

 is as follows : The field is first irrigated, plowed and har- 

 rowed to a condition of fine tilth. With a 12-inch plow, at 

 intervals of six feet, double furrows are then broken out, 

 going and returning along the same lines. In the deep, 

 wide furrows thus formed well rotted barnyard manure is 

 distributed to a depth of three or four inches, then plowed 

 in and the field again harrowed level. By then plowing 

 toward the middle of the spaces between the fertilized 

 furrows, the soil is finally left in oval ridges separated by 

 back furrows for irrigation. The rough furrows and 

 ridges are then finished with a harrow and the newly pre- 

 pared ground irrigated to establish the water line for 

 guidance in planting. 



Seed should be most carefully selected with reference to 

 flavor and appearance of the fruit ; to good shipping char- 

 acters, including small cavities and heavy netting ; and to 

 a tendency to produce melons of standard size. About 

 one pound of seed is required for an acre. Cantaloup seed 

 improves to some extent with time, and is stated by ex- 

 perienced growers to give more satisfaction at two years 

 of age than at one. 



With irrigating furrows six feet apart, rows may be 

 planted one on each side of each furrow. The hills should 

 be ten feet apart in the rows, " breaking spaces" between 

 rows. On this plan the ground will be quite uniformly 

 occupied, with a distance of about six feet between ad- 

 jacent hills. Where winds are strong and prevalently in 

 one direction it is sometimes desirable to lay off the lands 

 at right angles to the course of the wind and plant all the 

 hills on the windward side of each strip so that the vines 

 are trained by the wind away from the ditch and not half 

 of them blown into it. 



With a hoe each hill is planted by making a small fur- 



