364 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



raised under glass. The crop should never be started in 

 the open until danger of frost is past. The arid regions 

 of the \\'est, as Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico, pro- 

 duce, under irrigation, melons of excellent quality which 

 command high prices on the eastern markets. While 

 climatic conditions of the West are considered unusually 

 favorable, eastern growers have the advantage by their 

 close proximity to the markets. By allowing their 

 melons to ripen on the vines before marketing, they 

 secure as good quality and are enabled to compete suc- 

 cessfully with the West. Irrigation or a liberal rain- 

 fall is essential wherever the crop is grown. 



510. Soil. — The character of the soil is probably sec- 

 ondary in importance to climatic conditions. Musk- 

 melons may be grown in any soil skillfully handled. 

 Sandy types, however, have the preference because they 

 produce an earlier crop, and are easier to cultivate than 

 heavy ones. It is believed that the quality of the fruit 

 ranges higher when grown on the lighter soils. Never- 

 theless, clay and silt loams are often used in the culture 

 of this crop and growers who are farming these lands 

 believe their melons are of superior quality. But the 

 largest areas in the United States are on sandy soils. 



The structure of the soil is just as important as the 

 texture. When proper additions of vegetable matter are 

 made to clay lands, they often produce excellent results. 

 New land is considered especially desirable. In any soil 

 a constant and fairly liberal amount of moisture is im- 

 portant throughout the season. Drouth or insufficient 

 soil moisture invariably results in a weak vine growth 

 and in small fruits of inferior quality. Thorough drain- 

 age is also important. Alkali lands should be avoided, 

 as they are said to produce melons of comparatively low 

 quality. 



511. Seed. — Practically all of our muskmelon seed ia 

 produced in the United States. Large amounts are 



