STANDARD VARIETIES OF VEGETABLES 



cause they require more room than it is pos- 

 sible to give them without giving up other 

 vegetables which the housewife cannot well 

 afford to go without. But in good-sized 

 gardens I would advise their culture, because 

 there is nothing else quite equal to them in 

 delicacy of flavor and luscious sweetness. 

 They require a light, rich soil. Plant when 

 the ground is warm, and not before, in hills 

 four feet apart. It is a good plan to put a 

 generous quantity of manure from the hen- 

 house in each hill, working it well into the 

 soil before seed is planted. Put at least a 

 dozen seed in each hill, for some of the seed- 

 lings will doubtless be destroyed by the beetle 

 that works on cucumber- and squash-vines. 

 Spray all over with Nicoticide infusion as 

 soon as the first beetle is seen, also shower 

 with dry road-dust. If a fungous disease at- 

 tacks them spray with Bordeaux mixture. 



Rocky Ford is the standard variety of 

 muskmelon at present. It has a thick green- 

 ish-yellow flesh, is smooth-grained, is very 

 sweet, has a most delicious flavor, and is so 

 tender that it fairly seems to melt in the 

 mouth. Netted Gem is another standard 

 variety. 



Among the watermelons Ice-Cream is a 

 general favorite. Mammoth Ironclad grows 



47 



