CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 369 



near their windmills, have pipe lines laid among their 

 beds with hydrants conveniently located for watering 

 with the hose, the pressure being supplied by a tank in 

 the windmill tower." 



Whether starting in hotbeds or in greenhouses, fresh 

 air should be admitted daily to secure strong, healthy 

 plants. There is much less trouble from damping off 

 fungi when this matter is given proper attention. 



513. Soil preparation. — Land which has been previ- 

 ously cropped with red clover, alfalfa, cowpeas or crim- 

 son clover is regarded excellent for muskmelons. Soil 

 that has been highly manured for other truck crops the 

 previous year is well suited to this vegetable, pro- 

 vided other conditions are satisfactory. Early spring 

 preparation is essential. The plowing should be as deep 

 as for any other crop, and the land should be harrowed 

 at proper intervals until time to plant. 



514. Fertilizing. — In fertilizing, the muskmelon 

 grower should keep four facts in mind, viz., (i) that this 

 plant thrives best in soils containing a liberal proportion 

 of vegetable matter; (2) that soils excessively rich in 

 nitrogen are likely to cause a rank growth of vine and a 

 small and inferior crop of melons; (3) that rapid growth 

 is important early in the season; (4) that the mineral 

 elements are essential to large yields and high quality. 



Stable manures are unquestionably the most efifective 

 materials to use in growing muskmelons. They should 

 be thoroughly composted before applying. As indicated 

 for cucumbers, various kinds of stable manures may be 

 applied broadcast, in the hills, or in furrows previous to 

 planting. In most instances, profits are increased by 

 supplementing with commercial fertilizers. When clover 

 sods or leguminous crops are plowed down, splendid re- 

 sults can be obtained from fertilizers alone, using more 

 nitrogen than when stable manures are employed. A 



