MELON. 115 



Early Christiana. Fruit medium size ; skin dark green, 

 seldom netted; flesh deep yellow, thick, fine-grained, and 

 excellent. Valuable for private gardens, but on account 

 of the color not very salable. 



White Japan, Fruit small to medium; skin smooth, 

 white, and seldom netted ; flesh white, and of fair quality. 



Long Persian. Fruit large, often ten to twelve inches 

 in length; skin green, somewhat netted; flesh thick, 

 green, and well-flavored. 



MELON WATER. 



Like tho preceding, this is an important crop for the 

 farm-garden where the soil is suitable, and large quan- 

 tities are annually brought from the Southern States to 

 our Northern markets by vessel, which, by the way, is a 

 very convenient way of shipping where such means are 

 at command. They are also extensively grown in New 

 Jersey, and in other sections North where the soil is 

 adapted to them. 



Soil and Preparation, The soil should be light, more 

 sandy than otherwise, and new ground or old sward-land 

 is far the best. 



The season of planting is the same as for muskmclons, 

 and the preparation the same, except the hills should be 

 twice as far apart, that is, six by twelve feet, and one 

 half more manure may be added to advantage. 



The remarks in the preceding article on muskmelons, 

 in regard to cultivation, may be applied to these. 



Gathering for Market, Watermelons should be 

 marketed when ripe, for if allowed to become over-ripe 

 the flesh will become mealy and nearly tasteless. The 

 question may here arise : " When is a watermelon ripe ? " 

 Some judge by the curl at the stem, which becomes dry 

 when the fruit is ripe, but it sometimes happens that the 

 curl, and even a part or the whole of the vine, dies, and 



