174 



well hardened before removing to field conditions. 

 When this plan is carefully carried out in every 

 detail, splendid results are secured, but all too often 

 carelessness in handling and hardening results in 

 some check from which the plants never recover, 

 under which conditions direct field planting will 

 prove much more satisfactory. 



The muskmelon requires large amounts of organic 

 matter in the soil, and for this reason stable manures 

 universally prove the more satisfactory forms of 

 fertilizer. New soils generally give the best re- 

 sults with this crop, but, of course, are rarely avail- 

 able and must be considered as only an incident in 

 their cultivation. 



A common practice is to remove the soil to a 

 depth of six or eight inches at a point where the hill 

 is to be located, and place a good shovelful of well 

 rotted compost in the bottom of the hill. The 

 manure should be compacted thoroughly and cov- 

 ered with three or four inches of soil in which the 

 seed is planted. Liberal applications of high-grade 

 commercial fertilizer analyzing approximately 

 4-8-10 should be applied at the rate of from 500 to 

 1,000 pounds per acre in addition. Many growers 

 follow the plan of distributing this entire amount 

 over the land before the melons are planted. Others 

 distribute a part of it before planting and the re- 

 mainder around the hills after the plants have be- 

 come well established. Earlier growth is especially 

 important in successful cantaloupe culture. This is 

 often greatly increased by applications of nitrate 

 of soda around the plants after the roots have be- 

 come sufficiently developed to take it up readily. 



Cultivation should begin as soon as the plants 

 are through the soil and in many cases even before. 



