MUSKMELON 351 
composted for a month or more and then chopped up 
with a spade into small pieces. Sods and manure may 
be composted together, as discussed on page 72, and 
sods are often placed in the bottom of the beds before 
they are filled with properly prepared soil. While the 
soil should be firm and fairly compact, yet it must be 
open and porous. Melon roots revel in soils which 
abound in vegetable fiber, as provided by the use of 
chopped up sods and rotten manure, and the drainage 
conditions must be perfect. Because of the loose struc- 
ture of soils prepared in the manner described, it is neces- 
sary to do more or less packing of the compost when the 
beds are filled. 
Melons are planted at about the same distances as 
cucumbers. From 15 to 18 inches between plants, and 
the rows 30 to 36 inches apart, will be found satisfactory. 
Planting distances, however, will depend mainly on the 
system of training which is to be followed. The plants 
should be removed from the pots with care so that the 
balls of earth will not be broken. 
Watering.—The melon requires an abundance of soil 
moisture, though over-watering must be avoided. It is 
desirable to have a liberal supply of moisture in the soil 
when the beds are planted and to add enough water after 
the plants are set to settle and compact the earth about 
the roots. After this operation no more water should be 
applied than is necessary to maintain normal, healthy 
growth until the fruits are formed, and then the plants 
will require more water. After the fruit has practically 
attained full size and the ripening process has begun, less 
water should be used, for a superabundance of: water 
during the ripening period is detrimental to the flavor of 
the fruit. The wilting of the plants should not be per- 
mitted at any time. 
The humidity of the house for melons seems to require 
about as much consideration as the moisture content of 
