CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 373 



the boxes sloping slightly to the south and the east. 

 After the plants have come up care should be taken in 

 ventilating. The general practice of some growers is to 

 remove the box in the forenoon, and in the afternoon to 

 replace it. Others simply pull the glass out a 

 few inches. The latter method seems to be better, for 

 the reason that the plant gets plenty of air and at the 

 same time is protected from the cool and hard winds 

 that are likely to blow during the day. The boxes 

 are removed after all danger of frost is over. The 

 plants should be hardened before the boxes are 

 removed." 



516. Cultivation. Cultivation must be shallow, fre- 

 quent and thorough. The ground should not be allowed 

 to bake as long as it is possible to get between the rows 

 with a cultivator. Many growers shift the vines when 

 they attain considerable size, and continue tillage until 

 the crop is well advanced. More or less hand hoeing is 

 necessary during the entire period of growth. 



517. Marketing. The time of picking depends mainly 

 upon the distance from market. If to be sold locally, 

 the melons should be allowed to ripen fully on the vine. 

 When for distant shipment, the usual plan is to pick the 

 fruit when it will separate readily from the stem, which 

 should be left attached to the vine. Cracking about the 

 stem on the Gem type of melons indicates that ripening 

 is in progress and that the fruit will part readily from 

 the vine. While melons are often pulled before they 

 have reached this point, it is always done at the sacri- 

 fice of quality. Considerable experience is required to 

 decide just when each melon is ready for market, espe- 

 cially if an attempt is made to pick them before they 

 have changed to the characteristic gray color desired by 

 all markets. To secure uniformity of ripeness the plan- 

 tation should be picked over every day. 



A great many growers do not grade their melons. 



