Vegetable Growing in Colorado. 
19 
days—green, ripe and rotten. While this is exaggerating the 
actual facts to some extent, the time when the melons are in the 
best of condition for picking is very short. If harvested too early 
or too late, the quality will not be up to the standard. It is hard 
to describe just the proper stage at which the melons should be 
picked. There is a slight change of color in the interstices of the 
netting which can be recognized by an experienced picker. The 
proper stage can be more clearly determined by cutting a melon oc¬ 
casionally. 
ONION. 
The growing of onions is an important industry in several sec¬ 
tions of the state. They can be grown in practically all parts of 
the state for home use and for local markets and in some districts 
they may be grown with profit for distant markets. 
Soil .—The soil is one of the most important factors affecting 
the growing of onions. It is necessary that the soil be in workable 
condition early in the spring, so that heavy clay land is not suit¬ 
able. The light sandy or gravelly soils do not hold moisture well, 
and are not the best for onion growing. The best soil is one be¬ 
tween these, a retentive sandy loam. On account of the heavy 
yields per acre, a large amount of available plant food should be 
present. This may be supplied by heavy dressings of stable ma¬ 
nure which should be plowed in in the fall. If the land was planted 
to some hoed crop like potatoes or beets, it will be in much better 
condition for onions. 
Preparation .—For best results the land should be plowed in 
the fall to a depth of eight inches and in the spring the surface soil 
thoroughly pulverized. If preparation is delayed until spring, six 
inches will probably be the best depth. The soil for onions should 
not be too loose and when spring plowing is done, it should be 
compacted by using a roller or clod crusher. When planting time 
arrives, the ground should be in the best of tilth. Young onions 
are small and delicate and the work is largely done with hand power 
implements, so the soil must be free from lumps and easy to work. 
Planting .—There are two methods of planting. By the first 
method the seed are planted in early April in rows twelve to fifteen 
inches apart. The seed are sown thickly and covered about one- 
half inch deep. When the plants are well up they are thinned. 
More plants than are needed are left the first time and some of 
these are taken out later, finally leaving them three to six inches 
apart in the row. 
The other method, which has many advantages and which 
should be employed more extensively, is what is known as the “new 
