Watermelon Cultuee. 141 



WATEKMELON CULTUKE. 



By W. B. K.OBDEBEBT. 



Well drained land sliould be selected. If early ship- 

 ment is desired a hillside with southern exposure is bet- 

 ter. I prefer land that is! rather sandy, although our 

 stiffest lands in this section produces watermelons to good 

 advantage. 



The land should be broken broadcast as deep as possi- 

 ble, then check with small plow ten feet each way. Open 

 the center furrow with small two-horse middle buster or 

 largest round shovel that one horse can pull. 



Apply 500 pounds of guano per acre as per following 

 analysis : 



9 per cent, phosphoric acid. 

 3 per cent, nitrogen. 

 5 per cent, potash. 



In applying this fertilizer put one-third in the center 

 furrow mentioned above, distributing it in the furrow ex- 

 tending about two feet each way from the check making 

 the guano cover a space of about four feet in this furrow. 

 List on this with two one-horse turn-plow furrows putting 

 one-third of the 500 pounds in each of the two list-fur- 

 rows letting some of the guano scatter on top of the list. 

 This will make the guano cover the space of about 18 

 inches to two feet wide and four feet long at the check. 

 Then burst this list or bed open with a five or six-inch 

 long shovel or any other plow that will thoroughly mix 

 the soil with the guano that has been applied. This will 

 leave the land on a level. 



