Lettuce—New York No. 515. (Listed page 35.) 
GROWING CANTALOUPES 
The land should be a sandy loam, avoiding both too sandy and too 
heavy soil. 
If possible, do not plant where cantaloupes were grown previously 
within three or four years. 
A heavy oat stubble plowed under is one of the first locations. Bean 
land is usually very good. The first year after alfalfa or clover is not 
good as a rule. The melons grow too soft and are irregular in size, 
shape, netting and quality. The second year after alfalfa or clover 
is usually very good. 
Fall plowing is best, followed in the spring with several discings. 
If planted in hills the rows should be 5 to 6 feet apart each way. 
Cross cultivating improves the yield, quality and earliness. 
Plant ten to twelve seeds to the hill about 2 inches deep and thin 
to one or two plants when they have 5 or 6 leaves. 
If drilled in rows 5 to 6 feet apart thin to one plant every 3 or 4 
feet. 
Hoe carefully around the plants; keep free from weeds and culti¬ 
vate often. 
We have found 8 or 10 cultivations at least should oe given and 
more would be better. 
After the vines reach so far across the row that you can no longer 
cultivate, the ends of the vines should be carefully turned back and 
an additional cultivation given. A knife attached to a one-horse cul¬ 
tivator is best for this. 
Cultivate shallow close to the plants and deeper farther away. 
The main spread of roots is on the harder ground under the plowed 
ground. If you plow only 3 or 4 inches deep that will determine the 
depth to the main spreading roots and very shallow cultivating will 
be necessary or the crop will be ruined, while if you plow 7 or 8 
inches deep you can cultivate 5 or 6 inches deep to good advantage. 
Don’t expect an average good crop from too shallow plowing. 
If under irrigation, cantaloupes should be watered regularly about 
every two weeks. Early in the season furrows should be close to the 
plants and water should be allowed to run just long enough to moisten 
the soil beyond the plant row. Later furrows may be farther away 
from the plants. Do not allow the water to remain in the furrows 
too long so that the soil becomes water-logged. Continue irrigating 
through the ripening season to keep the vines thrifty. 
CONTROLLING The controlling of insects on your cantaloupe crops 
will increase your profits. If pests are allowed to 
INSECTS multiply unhampered, entire fields are often ruined. 
The striped cucumber beetle and aphis are the can¬ 
taloupe’s worst enemies. Turn to page 88 and you will find some 
suggestions as to killing them. 
CANTALOUPE Cantaloupe growers in the south Atlantic states at 
times encounter serious trouble from pickle worms 
WORMS boring into the ripened fruits, making them unsightly 
and not fit for marketing. We will gladly suggest 
control measures if you will write to us, 
(Continued on page 38) 
See Page 91 for Special Prices to Market Growers 
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