Early Cantaloupes. 
5 
Hardly a grower who used the special melon fertilizers ac¬ 
cording to directions, but lost from a few rows to many acres of 
early cantaloupes. The little melon plants died when the roots 
came in contact with the caustic elements of the fertilizer. A few 
growers had encouraging results; and when the manner of apply¬ 
ing and the quantity to be used in relation to irrigated conditions 
is determined by careful experiments, the use of commercial fertil¬ 
izers may result in valuable profits to the melon growers, but until 
then, barnyard manure and rotation with alfalfa and other ligu- 
minous crops offer the safest and most reliable source of fertility. 
Care and Cultivation .—If there is a secret in getting early 
cantaloupes it is in growing the crop from start to finish with a 
uniform unchecked growth; the cantaloupe does not seem to have 
the power to rally from a check in growth or an injury from an 
insect and still make its normal development. The back-set not 
only cuts off the production of early cantaloupes but seriously af¬ 
fects the size and quality of the melon. There are numerous in¬ 
stances where unfavorable conditions of growth have produced a 
large quantity of pony melons, while under more favorably grow¬ 
ing conditions the same seed and soil have yielded standard sized 
cantaloupes. One of the first signs of promise for early canta¬ 
loupes is a quick germination and rapid development of large 
cotyledons. Seed that germinates slowly with small yellow ap¬ 
pearing seed leaves has never made early cantaloupes. 
Planting .—The first requisite aside from moisture for a good 
start is warm weather, as cantaloupe seed cannot germinate when 
the ground is cold and freezing; and if perchance the days are 
warm enough to germinate the seed that is planted in March or 
April, the cold nights that are sure to follow will offset the advan¬ 
tage of early planting. 
Fifteen years of weather records at the Sub-Station in Rocky 
Ford reveal the fact that in nine out of the fifteen years there has 
been frost the last few days of April or the first in May that seri¬ 
ously injured or completely killed any melons that were germi¬ 
nated at that time, and that light frosts and cold nights are com¬ 
mon up to the middle of May. Old cantaloupe growers around 
Rocky Ford consider that May first is plenty early to plant canta¬ 
loupe seed. 
The seedling period is the critical time in the development of 
a crop of cantaloupes. It is in that stage that it usually receives 
a check in growth from cold weather, high winds or lack of moist¬ 
ure. It is also at this time that the striped cucumber beetle makes 
its destructive attacks. A knowledge of the growth and root de¬ 
velopment of the seedling will in a measure help to explain the 
reason for the steps taken and the precaution necessary in hand¬ 
ling the crop during this important period. 
