THE WATERMELON 



BY F. WM. KANE 



The watermelon ( Citriillus viilgai-is^ is a native of Africa, 

 and needs little introduction to the average reader. Its popu- 

 larity as a cool, refreshing, and satisfying fruit during the hot 

 summers of the temperate zone has so increased that the area 

 devoted to its culture can hardly be estimated. Thousands of 

 acres of watermelons are grown in a commercial way, the 

 larger part being in the South. There are hundreds of farm- 

 ers who grow them in a small way, however. 



Very little has been written on the watermelon. The small 

 treatise published by W. Atlee Burpee, " How to Grow Melons 

 for Market," one-half of which is devoted to the watermelon, 

 and Bulletin No. 38 from the Georgia Experiment Station, 

 together with casual short articles found here and there in 

 text-books and bulletins, comprises about all the available 

 literature. Th(j following discussion of the culture of the 

 watermelon, together with its classification under Part II, is 

 given with the hope that this bulletin will be of general use- 

 fulness. 



I. 



GROWING WATERMELONS IN THE NORTH 



We little appreciate the possibilities of the watermelon as a 

 crop well adapted to grow in Northern climates. The cus- 

 tomary idea is to think of this fruit of the vine as only at 

 home when in a warmer climate. The Southern grower 

 places them at our doors very early in the season, and it is 

 from this source that we have gotten into the habit of looking 

 for our supply throughout the summer season. 



