MUSKMELON 



fruit is the placing of well-rotted manure at the bottom 

 of each hill. It is necessary that this be thoroughly 

 rotted, as the paramount idea is to feed the roots with 

 moisture and nutriment which this will supply. The 

 best plan of preparing for this manuring is to dig holes 

 a full spade deep, then fill up to within 4 in. of the sur- 

 face with the manure, then cover with 3 in. of soil. 

 This can be done several days prior to putting out the 

 melons. The object of this expensive treatment is to 

 furnish the roots with food and moisture through the 

 heated season and induce a free growth, which will over- 

 come scalding and also attacks of enemies. 



The above methods will apply to both Musk- and 

 Watermelons. The soil best suited to melon-growing 

 is a sandy loam. When the soil is of a clayey nature 

 and heavy, a free use of sand is beneficial. Muskmelon- 

 forcing is followed successfully on some of the large 

 and fully equipped private places. For this only a 

 limited number of varieties are used principally the 

 orange-fleshed sorts with prominent netting on the ex- 

 terior. Growing by this method is treated under the 

 head of Forcing. 



Muskmelons are a staple article among the people of 

 Persia, Italy and also the Egyptians. The thin-skinned 

 Persian types are yet grown, and noted for being very 

 sweet and of fine flavor, and are better grown on very 

 light soil. The counties in southern New Jersey along 

 the coast supply the large markets of eastern cities with 

 the famous Cassaba, or Persian, the seed of this variety 

 having been originally procured from Smyrna; the inland 

 growers adhere to such varieties as the famous Jenny 

 Lind, Hackensack, Green Citron, Netted and Miller 

 Cream. The varieties introduced in recent years of the 

 orange-fleshed sorts are the Emerald Gem, Osage, Tri- 

 umph and Paul Rose, and the green-fleshed Rocky Ford. 

 These are an acquisition, and find ready sale when prop- 

 erly grown, being of medium size and quite solid: they 

 endure transportation well. The famous Montreal Mar- 

 ket variety, so much used in Boston, commands a very 

 high price. It is one of the best for transportation and 

 for keeping qualities ; of yellowish gold color and fine 

 flavor. It can be found in all eastern Canadian markets. 

 Muskmelon -growing is conducted on a large scale in 

 the southern states, but only for their local markets. 

 The valley of the Mississippi is particularly adapted 

 for this industry. New Jersey supplies one-half of the 

 Muskmelon crop; the seashore trade is the most exten- 

 sive known, and as this market is so accessible to the 

 grower, many farmers have their entire farms taken up 

 for this purpose. They also have a method, not prac- 

 ticed elsewhere, which is a good one for extending the 

 picking season over a long period. Their first planting 

 is 3^x5 feet, and two to four weeks later they plant 

 again between the hills, thus prolonging picking season 

 in the same patch, and giving a full stand of plants in 

 the field with minimum labor. The varieties grown by 

 the largest planters are the Jenny Lind, Golden Jenny, 

 Netted Gem and Green Citron, and only in very recent 

 years have they added such varieties as the Emerald 

 Gem and Triumph. j, OTTO THILOW. 



MUSTARD, species of Brassica (which see), chiefly 

 B. alba, nigra, juncea and Japonica. There are two 

 types *>f Mustard -growing, for the leaves, which are 

 used as a vegetable; for the seeds, which yield oil and 

 are used as a condiment. Table Mustard (the flour) is 

 the product mostly of Brassica nigra, although seeds 

 of B. alba and B. juncea are also used for making it. 

 The Mustards often become prolific weeds, but since 

 they are annual, they are easily kept in check by means 

 of good farming (see Weeds). 



As a culinary vegetable, Mustard is used for "greens " 

 (which see). For this purpose, the large soft basal 

 leaves are desired. These leaves grow best in early 

 spring, although they do fairly well in the fall. If sown 

 late in the season, the plant makes few bottom leaves and 

 run quickly to seed Perhaps the best of the Mustards 

 for greens in this country is Brassica Japonica (Fig. 

 266, Vol. I. ) , a species which has long been grown in this 

 country, but which has no other well-known name than 

 "Mustard." This often seeds itself and comes up the 

 following spring. Some of the large-leaved forms of 

 Chinese Mustard (Brassica juncea) are excellent, and 



MYOPORUM 



1051 



should be better known. One of the oriental species 



263 vTlT"!} m f k ^ S aU 6dible turni P-Hke root (Fig. 

 263, Vol. I.). Mustard needs a rich quick soil for the 

 producing of the best foliage. Sow the seeds in dr lls 

 1 ft. or more apart, and thin to 6 in. in the row. 



MUSTARD, CLOWN'S. Iberis amara. L ' H> B ' 

 MYALL. See Acacia. 



MYOPORUM (Greek words referring to the translu- 

 cent resinous dots in the Ivs.). Myoporacece. About '^0 

 species of shrubs, ranging from Australia and New Zea- 

 land to China and Japan. One of them was once a fa- 

 vorite heath-like plant in France. Two others are quick- 

 growing shrubs, with a profusion of small, white, 5- 

 lobed fls., and ornamental berries. These two are de- 

 sirable tor planting near the seacoast in S. Calif 



In 1883 it was stated in the Garden that for 20 years 

 many thousand plants of M.parvi folium had been sold 

 annually in the flower markets of Paris. One grower 

 always had a stock of 30,000 plants. Tne plants were 

 grown in small pots for room and window decoration in 

 spring. An eye-witness said, It is most beautiful as 

 seen with its pale green branches drooping gracefully 

 around the pot sides, and more especially so when the 

 shoots are wreathed with sweet, snow-white blossoms." 

 This species is practically unknown in England and 

 America. Full details of the French method of culture 

 are given in Gn. 24, p. 409. The American gardener may 

 get some general suggestions from the experience re- 

 corded under Epacris and Erica. 



Myoporums are erect and tall, or diffuse, glabrous or 

 glutinous : Ivs. alternate, rarely opposite, entire or 

 toothed : fls. axillary, usually clustered, small or medium 

 sized, usually white; calyx 5-cut or5-parted, somewhat 

 bell-shaped or funnel-shaped, the tube very short or 

 long; lobes usually 5. Tlie, genus is divided into 5 sec- 



1449. Myoporum laetum (X %). 



tions based on the shape of the fls., the number of the 

 corolla-lobes and stamens, which vary from 4-6, and 

 the number of cells in the ovary, which vary from 2-10. 

 Usually the calyx segments are small and narrow, but 

 in one section they are large and leafy. 



A. Lvs. lanceolate. 



Isetum, Forst. f. (M. perforatum, Hort.). Fig. 1449. 

 Lvs. 2-4 in. long, lanceolate or obovate- lanceolate, acute 

 or obtuse, finely serrate above the middle, bright green, 

 shining: fls. white, 4-9 lines wide, with rounded lobes, 

 which are hairy inside. New Zealand. 



