SIZE OF MELONS 



233 



wad up the vines of each hill into a little bunch about the size 

 of a half-bushel basket and cultivate astride the row the same as 

 when the plants were small. It is necessary to straighten out 

 the vines the same day, or they will grow into a hopeless tangle. 

 Another common method is to turn the vines lengthwise the row 

 and cultivate as close as possible on each side. In this case, care 

 is taken to keep the vines and leaves right side up when they are 

 turned, and they are not turned back following the tillage, but 

 allowed to branch out sidewise as growth continues. It is con- 

 sidered unwise to turn watermelon vines or otherwise disturb them 

 after the fruits have set. Therefore the last cultivation close to 

 the plants is usually given just before the melons begin to form. 



■J*?*'. 



Fig. 13S. 



thrfo hundred pounds. 



In addition to the cultivation with horse tools, considerable 

 hand hoeing is necessary in the production of a good crop of water- 

 melons. Different growers hoe them about the hill from three 

 to six times, and it is considered that there is a fairly close relation 

 between the amount of hoeing and the size of the melons produced. 

 The size of the melon also depends to some extent upon whether 

 one or two vines are grown per hill, and whether or not deformed 

 and defective melons are cut off while young, so that the strength 

 of the vine will be concentrated on those that remain. 



Size of Melons. — Since small melons are not wanted in most 

 markets and buyers are hkely to reject specimens under eighteen 

 pounds in weight, it is wise for watermelon growers to use every 

 effort to produce large-sized melons. A carload of melons that 



