112 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



thoroughly, the same as a crop of squashes or other vines would be 

 treated. Tliey should never be hoed or worked around when the 

 leaves are wet with rain or even dew. They are a rather uncertain 

 crop, and are but very little cultivated by our market gardeners. 



In picking for market, it is an easy matter to tell when the fruit 

 is ready to pick, as the under side of the melon will be lightly 

 streaked with yellow. If picked at this stage it will be in good 

 eating condition by the time it reaches the table of the consumer. 



The melons of this class are all yellow fleshed. There are sev- 

 eral varieties, but the Arlington Long Yellow is almost exclusively 

 the one raised for our market. In shape it is oblong, skin thickly 

 netted, flesh thick and of fine flavor. The Surprise is a variet}' of 

 quite recent introduction, and of considerable merit for the home 

 garden ; but is not large enough for market. The White Japan is 

 a quite popular sort of most excellent qualit}-. It is of medium 

 size, with a pale yellow skin, wliile the flesh is golden in color. 



Cantaloupes. — The culture of this class of melons is the same 

 as is above recommended for muskmelous, except that the}' are 

 usually started under glass and afterwards transplanted, in order 

 to hasten them along. 



The Arlington Kutmeg is the leading first early variety, and is 

 followed by the Ilackcnsack, which is one of the most popular 

 sorts for the main crop. The latter varietj' is of good size and of 

 excellent quality. The Casaba is a large late variety, and in 

 the Northern States requires to be started under glass in order to 

 ripen its fruit before frost. The seed is planted usually about the 

 first of May, and the plants should be set out in the field about the 

 tenth of June. The bed is usually placed near the centre of the 

 field where they are to be grown. The seed should be sown on 

 sods nine inches square, so that thirty-two hills are started under 

 each three feet b}' six sash. 



The INIontreal Market is the largest melon of its class now in 

 cultivation, deriving its name from having been originated and 

 largely grown in the vicinity of INIontreal. This is started under 

 glass earlier than the others, and is grown almost invariably in the 

 beds until the time of picking. The flesh is green and very thick, 

 and it is considered the best variety in existence for table use. They 

 often bring as high as one dollar each at wholesale. As they pro- 

 duce more vines than the other varieties, more room must be given 

 to them. Where one hill is planted under each sash, the beds 



