1882.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



99 



GROWING WATERMELONS. 



The Watermelon is one of our most popu- 

 lar and well-known vegetable fruits, and one 

 that is universally esteemed during the lat- 

 ter part of our summer season, for its rich, 

 abundant, cooling juices. It is a vine of 

 vigorous growth, and is extensively culti- 

 vated in certain localities ; but, singular as it 

 may appear, most persons consider it rather 

 difficult to cultivate, and, judging from the 

 inferior specimens which they produce, one 

 might suppose such to be really the ease. 

 But this is a very serious mistake, for no 

 fruit is of easier cultivation than the Water- 

 melon. It will grow 

 in almost any soil, 

 yet thrives best in 

 one that is light and 

 rich, with a warm, 

 sunny exposure. 



The proper prep- 

 aration of the soil 

 is also an important 

 consideration. The 

 ground should be 

 plowed or dug thor- 

 oughly and deeply, 

 and if the plow is 

 used a good harrow- 

 ing should also be 

 given, in order to 

 break up all lumps. 

 The hills should be 

 eight feet apart, and 

 be prepared by dig- 

 ging a hole about one 

 foot deep by two 

 feet across, and plac- 

 ing in it one -half 

 bushel of well-rotted 

 manure, in which 

 some bone-dust has 

 been well mixed. 

 Upon this place five 

 inches 'of soil, and 

 mix the whole as 

 thoroughly and deep- 

 ly as possible. Firm 

 this hill down well 

 with the spade or 

 fork, and then cover 

 it with three or four 

 inches of finely 

 broken soil; in this 

 place ten or twelve 

 seeds on their edges, 

 and cover to the 

 depth of half an 

 inch with fine soil. 

 When the plants 

 have become strong 

 and well established, 

 all but three or four 

 of the most promis- 

 ing should be re- 

 moved. 



Where early Mel- 

 ons are desired, the seed should be sown in 

 three-inch pots, or on inverted sods, in a 

 hot-bed, about the tenth of April. The 

 plants should be gradually hardened off, and 

 planted out when all danger of frost is over ; 

 or the seed may be planted in the open air, 

 at any time after the first of May, if given 

 the protection of a hand glass. 



Dust a little soot, lime, or wood-ashes on 

 the plants while young, and when they com- 

 mence to run lay the branches out evenly, so 

 that they can cover the entire ground, Keep 



them clear from weeds at all times. If the 

 ends of the leading shoots are occasionally 

 pinched back, the plants will bear more 

 freely, and if some fruit is removed the re- 

 mainder will considerably increase in size. 



There are numerous varieties of Water- 

 melons, some twenty or more varieties being 

 enumerated by our seedsmen, but for ama- 

 teurs the following will be found the most 

 suitable : 



Black Spanish. No. 1. — This is an old va- 

 riety, but is not as extensively cultivated as 

 the other sorts. The fruit is of a round 

 shape, and is rather small in size. It also 



GROUP OF WATERMELONS. 



has a very thin rind and a rich, sugary [ had fairly started : 



PMnney or Early Oval. No. 2. — This is 

 the earliest sort, and is very prolific, the 

 fruit being of moderate size, with bright red 

 flesh, and is of fine flavor. 



Mountain Sweet. No. 3. — Is the most pro- 

 ductive, and is one of the best, as well as 

 the most extensively cultivated variety. 

 When well grown the fruit will attain a 

 large size. The flesh is red, sweet, and of 

 excellent flavor 



Mountain Sprout. — This variety is not as 

 early as the sorts previously mentioned, but 

 the fruit will keep until quite late in the fall. 



Gypsy. No. 4. — Oblong, light green, mot 

 tied and striped with white ; flesh scarlet, 

 very solid, and of delicious flavor. 



Cuban Queen. — A variety recently intro- 

 duced, and remarkable for its very large 

 size, combined with excellent quality. 



Ice Cream. — This is considered, by some, 

 one of the most delicious. It is of medium 

 size and is almost round. It also has a thin- 

 ner rind than most of the other sorts, the 

 flesh is of . a bright crimson color, and has a 

 veryrich, sweet flavor. 

 Of this sort we have 

 two varieties, differ- 

 ing mostly in their 

 shape and the color 

 of their seeds : one 

 being round in shape, 

 with white seeds ; the 

 other long, with seeds 

 of a gray color. 



Orange. — This is 

 an entirely distinct 

 sort, being peculiar 

 in that the divisions 

 of its flesh peel from 

 the rind like an or- 

 ange ; it separates 

 into segments in a 

 similar manner. The 

 fruit is of medium 

 size, oval shape, and 

 of excellent flavor. 



The Citron, No. 5.— 

 Is used for preserving 

 only, and is well 

 known to all. It may 

 be sown in the open 

 air, as it is hardier 

 than the other va- 

 rieties. 

 Chas. E. Parnell. 



POROING PEAS, 



After having tried 

 all the best varieties 

 of Peas, Mr. J. Clarke 

 says, in the London 

 Garden : " The Amer- 

 ican Wonder Pea is 

 a valuable variety 

 either forced or out- 

 of-doors. It is earlier 

 and more prolific than 

 any kind with which 

 I am acquainted. I 

 had, in April, fifty 

 pots of it literally 

 covered with pods, 

 in different stages. 

 They were sown on 

 the 8th of February, 

 and were under cool 

 treatment until they 

 then they were sub- 

 subjected to gentle forcing, and the result 

 was most satisfactory. When better known 

 this variety cannot fail to be a favorite." 



EASY WAT TO GROW POTATOES. 



It is stated that a favorite mode of growing 

 Potatoes in Florida is to place the seed in 

 trenches and fill up with thatch. The cover- 

 ing is removed from time to time and such of 

 the new Potatoes as are large enough are 

 picked out, and then the thatch is replaced. 



