VINE CROP PROJECTS 165 



the gourd family. The outer rind is hard and the inner portion 

 is softer and edible. There are several rather well-defined bo- 

 tanical varieties of muskmelons, based largely on the character 

 of the fruits. Netted melons include the common muskmelons. 

 They are shallow-ribbed melons. The skin is usually netted, al- 

 though sometimes almost smooth. The flesh may be green or 

 salmon tinted. Cantaloupes or Rock melons are deeply furrowed 

 or ribbed, have hard rinds, and are more or less scaly or warty. 

 The so-called Rocky Ford Cantaloupes do not belong here ; they 

 are netted melons. Pineapple melons are similar to the netted 

 melons, differing chiefly in their oblong shape. Snake melons 

 have fruits many times longer than broad, greenish when ripe, and 

 curved and furrowed. 



1 . What garden crops are very close relatives of the muskmelon f 



2. What is the character of the melon fruit? 



3. Upon what characters are the botanical varieties of melons largely 



based? 



Project Outline 



1. Will muskmelons pay ? 



2. Selecting location. 



3. Choosing varieties. 



4. Obtaining seed. 



5. Starting early plants. 



6. Preparing the soil. 



7. Transplanting into the garden. 



8. Planting seed in the garden. 



9. Companion cropping. . 



10. Cultivating. 



11. Combating insects and diseases. 



12. Harvesting and marketing. 



