52 GROWING MUSKMELONS IN THE NORTH 



thoroughly mixed with the soil. The hills were five by six 

 feet apart, the usual distance, which allows 1,452 hills per 

 apre. The compost is best when mixed a year in advance. It 

 is made by piling up manure, keeping it moist and allowing 

 decomposition to set in. Should hen, sheep, or horse manure 

 be used, it is always best to mix them with soil before s_^k- 

 ing. Early in spring, sometime before using, the heap is cut 

 down and shoveled over in order to pulverize it. One or two 

 good shovelfuls per hill is sufficient. Should the compost 

 lack in nitrogenous constituents, ao do tho sgnrrrm^iLr-it is well 

 to add a handful of finely ground bone to each hill, working it 

 well into the mixture of soil and compost. Unleached wood 

 ashes are used with good results by mixing in a similar man- 

 ner. They do not, however, take the place of the ground 

 bone. Much depends upon the condition of both soil and com- 

 post as to the amount of ingredients or manures to be used. 



Where commercial fertilizer alone is to be used the follow- 

 incr formula has been recommended :^ 



r (i) 180 to 360 lbs. nitrate of soda; or 

 For Nitrogen } (2) 150 to 300 lbs. sulphate of ammonia; or 

 ( (3) 300 to 600 lbs. dried blood. 



p, 1, • ( (0 500 to 1,000 lbs, bone meal; or 



A^'d "^ ) ^-^ ^5° ^° 7°° '^^* "^'ssolved bone, etc.; or 

 ^^ ( (3) 400 to 800 lbs. dissolved rock. 



( (i) 130 to 260 lbs. muriate; or 

 Potash < (2) 130 to 260 lbs. sulphate; or 



( (3) 1,300 to 2,600 lbs. wood-ashes. 



Too much nitrogen is to be avoided as the tendency will be 

 to run to vine rather than fruit. The potash may be applied 

 in the fall, also one-half the phosphoric acid ; but the remain- 

 der should be applied in spring. 



Cultivation. The ground having been in cultivation the 

 previous year, was not plowed until early spring. Fall plow- 

 ing has many advantages for melon growing, provided the land 

 is not too rolling and therefore liable to wash. By the action 

 of frost the soil becomes friable, insects are to a great degree 

 destroyed, and the land may be worked earlier in the spring. 



^New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 94, New Series, 



