VINE CROPS 



warm soil and if the season is moist, the best 

 crops come from a sandy soil. 



The seed (three or four) are planted in rich 

 loam in strawberry baskets or sod, started un- 

 der glass four or five weeks before transplant- 

 ing to the open. The soil should have plenty 

 of well-decayed manure. The hills should be 

 from eight to ten feet apart each way. Five to 

 ten seed to a hill and planted from one and one- 

 half to two inches in depth. One-fourth ounce 

 of seed will plant fifteen hills. 



It is quite a common practice to plant musk- 

 melon seed in the hotbed just before the seed- 

 lings of cabbage, cauliflower, etc., are taken 

 out. The growth of the plant is hastened by 

 adjusting the sash in order to keep the soil 

 always warm, and water may be applied when 

 necessary. 



Start to cultivate as soon as the plants ap- 

 pear, and stop when the vines begin to run. If 

 the melon pulls away easily from the stem with- 

 out breaking and the flower and stem ends are 

 a little soft, the melon is ripe. 



193 



