pgMPKINS AND MELONS. 321 



Cultural Methods, Etc. — Pumpkins are very suscep- 

 tible to frost, and should not be planted until all danger of 

 frosts has passed. Under irrigation they are preferably 

 planted from September to October, and on dry lands in 

 November. They do well on moist soils, except heavy clays. 

 Manuring, particularly with stable manure, is advisable. The 

 manure may be applied in hills or on a large scale in strips 

 across the land, the rows being along these strips. They are 

 planted 10 by 10 feet, four or five seeds ner hill — these are 

 subsequently thinned out to two or three plants per hill. 

 About two to three pounds of seed is required per acre. The 

 crop is better grown alone and not in competition with maize. 

 When well started, pumpkins resist drought fairly well. 



The fruit stalk should not be broken off, as this en- 

 courages decay. They should be harvested about June, after 

 the killing frosts, and stored in a dry place. To preserve 

 pumpkins for table use they are sometimes stored in pits 

 covered with sand. Properly stored, they keep well until 

 October. Thick-skinned varieties keep best. 



Stock pumpkins yield from 40 to 50 tons per acre. Sliced 

 up, they form an excellent addition to the winter feed for 

 sheep, cattle and pigs. 



Stock Melons. 



Stock varieties of melons have been devoloped in the 

 United States of America, some of which have not yet reached 

 South Africa. These, like the Maketaan and Tsamma 

 (common species found in the dry parts of the Union, e.g., 

 the Kalahari), are non-saccharine. The Tsamma weighs 

 three to four pounds; Maketaan considerably more, while 

 some of the stock melons weigh up to 75 pounds. 



The cultural methods are somewhat similar to those re- 

 quired for pumpkins. They are exceedingly drought-resistant, 

 giving heavy yields in very sandy soil and under very low 

 rainfall. " The Maketaan (Mammoth and Fraserdale) are 

 now extensively grown in different parts of the Karroo, where, 

 owing to scanty rainfall, irrigation is needed for all other 

 kinds of crops." They mature about April to May, and if 

 carefully stored will last to the end of September or later. 



Dr. Juritz reports a yield of 300 tons per acre ! 



