1 ^R 



GARDEN YARD 



Ontario, if both soil and exposure be warm 

 enough. Watermelon needs such a long season, 

 such a warm, well-drained soil, such attention 

 to detail, to come to perfection, that it is not a 

 very profitable crop for the average gardener. 

 In the past, the south Atlantic and Gulf States 

 have held first place as watermelon centres, and 

 are likely to continue in that proud position 

 even though the mid-continental States have 

 taken up the industry. 



Seeds are planted where the plants are to 

 grow, but all danger of frosts should be past. 

 The best soil preparation includes fall plowing 

 that the winter frost may help powder the earth. 

 The hills are made by mixing several shovelfuls 

 of well-rotted manure with the soil and then 

 covering the mixture with some inches of fine, 

 soft earth. Plant the seeds in this and see that 

 the soil does not bake or crust. This can only 

 be avoided by careful surface tillage. The 

 cultivation of watermelons must be done solely 

 with hand-tools, as the vines are very tender 

 and the least injury to them affects both quan- 

 tity and quality of crop. The hills are usually 

 ten feet apart each way, and there are only 

 435 hills to the acre. It takes four pounds of 

 seed to sow an acre. When grown in the North- 

 ern States, plants may be started under glass. 



