WATERMELONS 455 



plants appear and have become well established, they are thinned 

 to stand from 4 to 6 inches apart in the row, to make room for 

 the development of their thickened roots. 



The common turnip may also be used as a spring crop. Market 

 gardeners at the North often grow turnips early in the season, to 

 be followed by later vegetables on the same land. This crop is 

 sown about the same time that radishes and beets are planted, fre- 

 quently in the month of March or April. All the members of this 

 group of plants are comparatively hardy and capable of withstand- 

 ing low temperatures. The turnip, therefore, may be cultivated 

 either as a spring or fall crop. Mustards are as hardy as the com- 

 mon turnip and can be grown as both a spring and a fall crop. 



Harvesting. The crop from seed sown early is usually bunched 

 and sold the same as beets. That sown in the autumn is handled 

 the same as beets the roots are pulled, the tops cut off, and the 

 product sold by the bushel. 



Rutabagas, which require the whole season for development, are 

 treated the same as the fall crop of turnips ; the tops are cut off 

 and only the thickened roots sold on the market. 



WATERMELONS 



From an economic standpoint the watermelon is undoubtedly 

 the most valuable of any of the plants belonging to the cucurbits. 

 It is of subtropical origin and in southern and southwestern United 

 States is extensively grown. It is not unusual to find fields of from 

 100 to 400 acres in extent devoted exclusively to the cultivation 

 of this crop. 



Distribution. While the watermelon may be said to be more 

 cosmopolitan than the squash, it is not so generally distributed 

 over the United States as cymlings, cucumbers, or muskmelons. 

 The two states which lead all the others in the production of the 

 watermelon are Georgia and Texas. In the census year of 1900, 

 Georgia grew 27,874 acres, Texas 26,276 acres, South Carolina 

 10,511 acres, North Carolina stood fourth with 9814 acres, and 

 Virginia ranked next with 9297 acres. Under careful cultivation 

 watermelons can be grown in every state in the Union, but the 

 chief center of production is from Virginia southward along the 



