1486 Tile Vegetable Industry in New York State 



dry weather follows planting, the seed nearest the top will prob- 

 ably dry out and fail to come up. If heavy rains follow planting, 

 the deep ones, near the center of the ridge, will probably never 

 be able to push through the amount of soil over them. Between 

 these extremes, there must be some seeds which are suited to the 

 conditions of moisture which they encounter. 



5. The sloping surface is in the position to absorb the greatest 

 amount of heat possible from the slanting rays of the sun. 



6. By planting on the south side of the ridge, the young plants 

 are protected from cold winds by the crest of the ridge above them. 



cultivation 



Cultivation is a great aid in maintaining the loose, porous 

 soil conditions in which the melons thrives, and should be com- 

 menced as soon as the plants are well established. 



If there is no inter-crop, the horse cultivator may be used in 

 both directions, but hand hoeing must be depended upon near the 

 small plants, and loose soil thoroughly worked up to them. The 

 sooner the plants are thinned down to one in a hill, the easier the 

 hoeing will be and the more evenly balanced plant we will have. 

 Experience has taught us that we get more and better fruit from 

 one plant in a hill than from any other number. 



Cultivation should be continued frequently until the vines reach 

 across the rows, being careful to select times when the soil is not 

 very wet. 



Care is necessary in handling the vines in the later cultivations. 

 Twisting them is liable to break off the small roots, and it is 

 difficult to return them to their original position. The vine 

 that is turned squarely over falls back in position naturally and 

 will seldom break if the dew is off before commencing work. 

 Vines should be returned to natural positions as quickly as pos- 

 sible, and should never be left wrong side up over noontime or 

 at night. 



INSECTS 



Cut worms, striped squash bugs and melon aphis are serious 

 enemies. The regular cut worm mixture of paris green and bran, 

 distributed over the ground before the plants appear, will pre- 

 vent loss from cut worms. Offensive odors disturb the squash 



