2024 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



Watermelon 



The watermelon is a native of Africa. 

 It is very different in appearance, and in 

 the character of its fruit, from the musk- 

 melon. There are many varieties, but the 

 characteristics of the varieties are not 

 so different as those of the muskmelon. 

 The v^atermelon has a very compact and 

 shell-like rind, a little like the shell of 

 a gourd, and which holds water with but 

 little evaporation from its surface. For 

 this reason watermelons can be grown 

 more successfully on a dry soil, in a 

 semi-arid climate, than muskmelons, 

 pumpkins, or squashes. The soil best 

 adapted to the growing of watermelons 

 is a sandy loam. The climate best adapt- 

 ed is one without too much rain, say 

 about 20 to 25 inches. In sections where 

 irrigation is practiced, care should be 

 used not to give them too much water. 



The edible part of the flesh ranges in 

 color from cream to deep red, and the 

 color of the rind is from very light to 

 dark green. 



G-RANVILLB LOWTHER 



G^rowing Watermelons 

 Depth to Plant 



Where irrigation is practiced and 

 where the humidity of the atmosphere is 

 low, the depth at which the seeds are 

 planted is somewhat greater than it is 

 in the humid regions. If the seed is 

 planted in very shallow soil, frequently 

 it will not come up on account of the 

 soil losing so much of its moisture be- 

 fore germination takes place. In such 

 cases it is necessary to irrigate again in 

 order that the young plants may come 

 through the soil. The usual depth varies 

 from one and a half inches to three inches. 



The depth depends on the texture and 

 moisture condition of the soil. 



Thinning 



If all, or almost all, of the seeds plant- 

 ed in the hills germinate, it is necessary 

 to thin them out before they get too 

 large. If all of the little seedlings are 

 allowed to grow, the vines will tend to 

 crowd each other, which will result in 

 weak plants and poor crops of inferior 

 quality. It is advisable to thin twice. The 

 first time, only thin to about four plants 

 to the hill. This is a safeguard against 

 mice and squirrels or insects that some- 

 times destroy some of the plants in the 

 hill. At the last thinning, which should 

 be done about the time the plants begin 

 to send out runners, all but two plants 

 to each hill should be removed. It is 

 better to have one or two plants to the 

 hill than more. 



Distance Apart to Plant 



The distance at which to plant the 

 seed varies with the variety and with 

 the fertility of the soil. If the soil is 

 quite rich the distance should be greater. 

 The common practice followed on ordi- 

 nary soils is to plant the seeds from 

 seven to nine feet apa^rt in the row. The 

 distance between the hills in the row is 

 always less than the distance or width 

 of middles between the ditch borders. 

 The closer the hills are planted in the 

 row, the wider should be the middles. 



According to our system of growing 

 watermelons more hills can be grown to 

 the acre than by the Eastern method. 

 In the following table the number of 

 hills per acre at different distances is 

 given : 



Width of ditch 



Width of middles 



Number of hills per acre at 



7 feet between 



8 feet hills 



9 feet in row 



Sfeet.... 



8 feet 



3 feet..,. 



3 feet,... 

 ifefet.... 

 ifeet, ,.. 

 4;feet 



4 feet 



9 feet 



10 feet 



11 feet 



12 feet 

 9 feet 



10 feet 



11 feet 



12 feet 



1037 

 957 

 888 

 829 

 957 

 888 

 829 

 777 



907 

 837 

 777 

 726 

 837 

 777 

 837 

 780 



806 

 744 

 691 

 645 

 744 

 691 

 744 

 605 



