418 The Principles of Vegetable -Gardening 



states are coming to the fore. The ideal soil is light sandy loam 

 with only a medium or small amount of nitrogen. Much nitrogen 

 is thought to diminish the essential saccharine constituent. A 

 point of special emphasis is that of thorough drainage. Swampy or 

 "soggy" land will not produce favorable results. In the South the 

 field for melons is often plowed in the fall, to expose the soil to 

 the pulverizing action of frost. Watermelons are always planted 

 in hills, which are usually 10 feet apart each way. The hills are 

 made at the intersection of check-rows. This "checking" is 



Fig. 133. Watermelon seedlings. One-half natural size. 



usually done with shovel- or turn-plow. The hills are made by 

 mixing several shovelfuls of well-rotted manure with soil and then 

 covering the whole with several inches of soft earth, into which 

 the seeds are planted directly. All danger of frosts should be over 

 before planting. Avoid baking or crusting of the soil on the hills, 

 especially before germination of seeds. Only hand tools should 

 be used in the cultivation of crop after the vines have begun to 

 run, as lifting or turning the vines will injure quality and size of 

 fruit. At 10x10 feet, 435 hills are contained in an acre. About 

 4 pounds of seed is used to the acre. 



When is a watermelon ripe? "Unquestionably the fiat, dead 

 sound emitted by a melon when 'thumped' is the readiest indi- 

 cation of ripeness, and the one most universally depended on. 



