No. 98.] 127 
vines was so much retarded by the coolness of June and the drouth of 
July, that at one time we almost despaired of our melon vines ripen- 
ing any fruit. Several varieties of musk melon, however, matured a 
fair crop. Of these, the Christiana, Sill’s Hybrid, Shaw’s Golden 
Superb, and Green Persian were most productive; the other sorts 
noted as having matured, producing but a few samples each. 
The watermelons must be rated as a failure, only one variety, the 
Strawberry, ‘having ripened more than a single fruit. This state- 
ment, however, does slight injustice to a few sorts, the fruit of which 
was pilfered before coming to maturity. 
The varieties, dates of planting, vegetation, etc., were as follows: 





MUSK MELON, Planted. |Vegetat’d.| Days.|Bloss’m’d.} Days.| Ripe. |Days 
Greem Persian. 02.2. S. May 22 June 14 23 July 20 59 Sept. 9] 110 
Early Nutmeg... .....54.. -May 22 | June l3 22 July 20 59 Sept. 9} 110 
Sills Hybrid ....... _..-| May 22 |. June 13 22 July 24 63 Sept. 20 | 121 
Shaw’s Golden Superb...) May 22 | Junel5 | 24 | July29 | 68 | Sept. 22] 193 
Hrackenmsseks 2008) 2 oO. May 22 | June 14 23 July 28 67 Sept. 11} 112 
New Surprise............ May 22 June 14 23 July 24 63 Sept. 9] 110 
laem EOP gal. ow. «++. May 22 | June 12 21 July 24 63 
RPIMISGIANG ws eecc cscs sve. May 26 ‘ Sept. 9] 106 
WATERMELON, ; 
Penuney BOW so... <n May 22 | Junel4 | 23 July 28 67 
RPA WOTIV I, oar ee io May 22 | Junel4 | 23 July 28 67 | Sept.16] 117 
Odelariei 1, iii di sid. May 22 | June 14 23 July 29 | 68 
Do ated. oy <. a May 22 | June 14 23 July 29 68 
Cream Fleshed........... May 22 | June 1d 24 July 31 70 
OmatOAP. TAG 1955522 May 22 | June 17 26 July 31 70 Oct. 7 | 188 
US May 22 | Junel5,| 24 Aug. 3 73 Oct. 12 | 148 
OO Re May 22 June 14 23 Ang... 71 
Rattlesnake ............. May 22 | Junel4 | 28 Aug. 8 73 
Ferry’s Peerless ......... June 3 | Junel6 | 138 | Aug. 1 58 
Mountain Sweet......... June 3 June 16 13 AUG 1 58 
BPA COBIOE Soe cate «so g's oe « May 22 | Juneld5 | 24 Oct. 7 | 188 
| 
The hills were prepared by spading in a liberal quantity of barn- 
yard manure, and a portion of them were covered, after planting, with 
plant protectors, made by tacking a bit of mosquito netting, over a 
frame-work of light wooden hoops. ‘The vines not thus protected 
were saved from the ravages of the striped bug Diadbrotica vittata, 
Fabr. by an occasional application of water-slacked lime. 
Several plantings of the Christiana melon were made at different 
times to discover the effect of early planting on the time of maturity. 
A few seeds planted on inverted sods in the hot-bed, April 15th, vege- 
tated April 20th, and were transplanted to the open ground May 1st. 
Severe weather followed, during which the soil froze to the depth of 
an inch, and the plants, though well protected, were destroyed. | 
Seeds were also planted in the open ground April 15th; a few of 
which vegetated May 26th, but these plants did not mature fruit earlier 
than others planted a month later. 
We made the experiment of planting the Christiana melon in drills 
ten feet apart. The result was satisfactory, giving a much larger crop 
of fruit than an equal area planted in hills. ‘The vines did not crowd 
