116 Teuck Growing in the South. 



10th. In all sections, plant covers should be provided to 

 protect the plant against frost. The expense of covering 

 is light, on account of the small number of hills per acre. 

 It is by all means advisable to protect against frost or 

 even cold nights. Tomato baskets holding about four 

 quarts, or strawberry baskets are to be recommended for 

 this purpose. While this does' not afford so tight a cover- 

 ing as some other materials, it will save the crop against 

 a heavy frost, and may be, allowed to remain over the 

 plants four or five days, as they admit sufficient light and 

 air to prevent dangering results'. 



As before stated, sandy soil is preferred for melons. 

 New land is well adapted to this crop, also old fields that 

 have laid out for a number of year?. Low land in no 

 case should be planted in melons. 



Lay oif rows eight feet apart and check the same dis- 

 tance. Before planting, open the furrow one way and 

 put about two shovels of stable manure per hill, scattering 

 it to a length of three feet and cover with two furrows, 

 use in addition about one-half pound commercial fertilizer 

 per hill. As soon as the ground is sufficiently warm to 

 germinate the seed, they should be planted, four or five 

 seed to the hill at the intersection of row and check. Plant 

 the seed shallow, and firm the soil well with the foot. 

 The seed should be examined every few days, and if in- 

 clined to rot, should be replanted along side of first plant- 

 ing. Presuming that covers should be provided for frost 

 protection, it will be unnecessary to make further plantirg 

 after the seed are up. 



Cultivating should be done as for other crops, and when 

 vines are a foot long, the second application of 1,000 



