CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
3 ^ 
near their windmills, have pipe lines laid among their 
beds with hydrants conveniently located for watering 
with the hose, the pressure being supplied by a tank in 
the windmill tower.” 
Whether starting in hotbeds or in greenhouses, fresh 
air should be admitted daily to secure strong, healthy 
plants. There is much less trouble from damping off 
fungi when this matter is given proper attention. 
513. Soil preparation. — Land which has been previ- 
ously cropped with red clover, alfalfa, cowpeas or crim- 
son clover is regarded excellent for muskmelons. Soil 
that has been highly manured for other truck crops the 
previous year is well suited to this vegetable, pro- 
vided other conditions are satisfactory. Early spring 
preparation is essential. The plowing should be as deep 
as for any other crop, and the land should be harrowed 
at proper intervals until time to plant. 
514. Fertilizing. — In fertilizing, the muskmelon 
grower should keep four facts in mind, viz., (1) that this 
plant thrives best in soils containing a liberal proportion 
of vegetable matter; (2) that soils excessively rich in 
nitrogen are likely to cause a rank growth of vine and a 
small and inferior crop of melons; (3) that rapid growth 
is important early in the season ; (4) that the mineral 
elements are essential to large yields and high quality. 
Stable manures are unquestionably the most effective 
materials to use in growing muskmelons. They should 
be thoroughly composted before applying. As indicated 
for cucumbers, various kinds of stable manures may be 
applied broadcast, in the hills, or in furrows previous to 
planting. In most instances, profits are increased by 
supplementing with commercial fertilizers. When clover 
sods or leguminous crops are plowed down, splendid re- 
sults can be obtained from fertilizers alone, using more 
nitroeren than when stable manures are employed. A 
