Watermelons from the Southern Viewpoint — By Thomas J. Steed, c ;, 



WHAT MAKES FOR QUALITY IN THIS LUSCIOUS FRUIT— SOME REASONS WHY THE SOUTHERN GARDENER 

 DOES NOT GET THE BEST THAT OPPORTUNITY AFFORDS — FACTS FOR NORTHERN GARDENERS TO FOLLOW 



THE watermelon is just one of the 

 things that the Southern gardener can 

 enjoy in perfection without much trouble; 

 his northern brother has no chance what- 

 ever to compete with him on even terms. 

 The southern climate exactly suits the 

 peculiarities of the watermelon. For this 

 very reason, however, there are too many 

 poor watermelons grown in the South. 

 The crop comes too easily. Up in the 

 North it is a matter of skill and good 

 cultivation to produce a good watermelon, 

 and only good ones are worth growing. In 

 the South, unfortunately, little attention 

 is paid to quality watermelons. Yet 

 there is all the difference in the world; 

 a poor quality watermelon is one of 

 the most unsatisfying fruits to offer to 

 anybody. 



The watermelon will grow in the South 

 on almost any kind of soil and grow to 

 perfection, too. But at the same time it 

 shows a preference to a light, sandy 

 soil that has been lying out a year or 

 two and has grown up in weeds which 

 supply vegetable matter to the soil. Weeds 

 also serve as supports for the vines, and 

 prevent the wind from blowing the vines 

 about and bruising them. A sandy loam 

 that cow peas or crimson clover has been 

 grown on the year before is also good for 

 melons. The northern gardener knows, 

 from experience, that a light, porous, 

 warm soil is the one thing that is necessary 

 to good quality in a melon of any kind. 

 There is some difference in growing a crop 

 for home and for market. The home 

 gardener can naturally give better attention 

 and produce a higher quality result. 



After the watermelon has been suc- 

 cessfully grown, there still remains the 

 problem of picking it at the critical moment. 

 The fruit requires from three to six weeks 

 from the time it forms on the vine, until 

 it attains maturity, depending on the 

 variety, and the gardener must know the 



relative times of the different kinds he is 

 growing. This is important. 



There are four possible methods of tell- 

 ing a ripe watermelon: First, strike on 

 it sharply with the finger; if it sounds 

 rather hollow it is ripe. Second, if the 

 tendril where the melon is attached to the 

 vine is dying, the melon is usually ready 

 to eat. Third, press on the melon firmly 

 with the hand; if ripe, you will hear the 

 heart cracking. Fourth, pick the melon 

 when it has a yellowish tinge on the under 

 side where it rests on the ground. But 

 sometimes the tendril of a melon vine dies 

 from the attacks of insects or disease, 



The Georgia Rattlesnake comes next 

 in popularity, is almost as sweet, but is 

 about a week later in maturing. This 

 melon grows very long, is of a light green 

 with dark green stripes, and has a medium 

 tough rind. There is an improved form 

 of this melon sold as Improved Georgia 

 Rattlesnake or Augusta Rattlesnake. 



Halbert Honey is equally as sweet 

 as Kleckley, is of a darker color, and is 

 ready for use from one to two weeks earlier; 

 but it does not grow quite as large. The 

 seed is white with two dark spots on the 

 edge. 



Panmure Allheart is certainly what its 



Get the best seed possible. Note the difference between these fruits of the same name but different sources 



and sometimes when green melons are hot 

 from laying in the sun they will sound 

 hollow when struck with the finger. There- 

 fore, experience counts. 



The Kleckley Sweets watermelon, which 

 originated in Sumpter County, Georgia, 

 in 1894, is the most popular melon in the 

 South to-day, and is generally considered 

 the sweetest of all melons. It is ready 

 for use in one hundred days from planting. 



Halbert Honey, is one of the best early kinds and is adapted to the home garden 



name indicates it to be. It has very thin 

 rind and few seeds, which are very small. 

 The melons do not grow as large as Hal- 

 bert Honey, but are equally as sweet. 

 It is two or three days earlier and as pro- 

 ductive. This and Halbert Honey are 

 two of the best melons for small gardens, 

 as they can be planted closer together 

 than most other sorts. 



The Florida Favorite is very similar 

 to the Rattlesnake, but the melons do not 

 grow as long as uie Rattlesnake and the 

 stripes are darker. The seeds are white. 



Mclver's Sugar melon is also very 

 similar to the Rattlesnake. The Rattle- 

 snake is of a lighter green and longer and 

 smoother. The Mclver's Sugar is easily 

 distinguished from other varieties in the 

 field on account of its very narrow, cut 

 foliage. 



Turpen's Gray is a very fine late, main 

 crop melon. It grows very long and large, 

 is very sweet and a good keeper. It is 

 of a mottled gray green, has a very thin 

 rind, brownish yellow seeds, and the flesh 

 is a bright red. 



Augusta Round, white in color, is prac- 

 tically the same. It is round in form, 

 medium early, the flesh is a bright red 

 and very sweet, and the seed is white. 



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