32 
Colorado Experiment Station 
WATERMELONS 
Watermelons are much less widely cultivated in Colorado 
than the muskmelon, but with proper care they can be grown in 
many parts of the State. 
The watermelon is a tender plant, so that planting must be 
delayed until danger from frost is past. The seed should be 
planted in hills about 8 feet apart each way and covered 1 inch 
deep. It is best to use a dozen or more seed to each hill in order 
to be sure of having a perfect stand. After the plants have be¬ 
come well established they should be thinned, leaving two or 
three to a hill. 
In the northern part of the State a better plan to follow is to 
sow seed in pots, strawberry boxes, or on pieces of sod placed in 
the hotbed. By this method, the seed may be planted in March 
or April, and the plants removed to the field after cold weather is 
over. The plants can be moved without checking them at all, and 
the advantage gained by lengthening the growing period is con¬ 
siderable. Moreover, when in the greenhouse or hotbed, the 
growing plants can be much more easily protected at the most 
critical stage from insects and other troubles than if they were 
scattered over a field. 
The best culture possible should be given the crop early in 
the season so that a small amount will be required later when the 
vines begin to cover the ground. 
Varieties. —Cole’s Early, Kleckley Sweets, Tom Watson, 
Phinney’s Early. 
HARVESTING VEGETABLES 
The quality of many vegetables depends upon the time and 
stage at which they are harvested, therefore a few points in this 
connection are given below. 
Many vegetables are best harvested in the early morning, as 
they are then full of water and crisp. This is especially true of 
vegetables used in a green state, as lettuce and radishes. 
Peas and sweet corn are of much better quality when gath¬ 
ered only two or three hours before being prepared for the table. 
They deteriorate rapidly after being removed from the plant. 
The quality of radishes, carrots, beets, and kohl-rabi depends 
usually upon their size, the smaller the vegetable the better the 
quality. When allowed to grow too large, kohl-rabi and beets be¬ 
come somewhat woody. They should be used when about 2 to 3 
inches in diameter. 
Leaf lettuce should be used as soon as the leaves are large 
enough, but head lettuce should be left alone until good, firm heads 
'ire formed. 
