

Yieater melons a a 2 Ibs. seed per acre—4 og, 
GROWING WATERMELONS 
Select a well-drained sandy loam; new sod land is best; and good 
loamy soil which is well drained is good. 
If under irrigation run large furrows 8 feet apart and plant the 
hills well up on the border 8 to 10 feet apart. Be careful not to irri- 
gate too often. Plant to a depth of about one inch, shallower early 
when the soil is cold and slightly deeper for late planting. 
Watermelons are lovers of drouth and the finest melons are grown 
under semi-arid conditions. 
Plow deep and harrow well to make a fine seed bed. A liberal coat 
of stable manure disced in before plowing will increase the size and 
yield. 
If not under irrigation, plow the land in ridges by first throwing 
out a dead furrow, then back-furrowing into the dead furrow four 
or five furrows from each side. Some advocate no harrowing in 
windy sections, leaving the soil rough for the reason that vines 
cling to the ground and are not whipped about. 
Do most of the cultivating with the harrow, setting the teeth 
straight and cultivate deep. 
It is sometimes desirable to turn the ends of the runners when 
they begin to reach out across the row and give an extra cultiva- 
tion. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the small 
melons. This sometimes results in a delay in the setting of the fruit. 
Keep a fine mulch on the surface and do not let any weeds grow. 
If you use commercial fertilizer mix it thoroughly with the soil 
around the hill, but do not leave any lumps under the hills where 
the first roots will reach it, or it will burn the roots and check the 
growth if not kill the plant. 
_.DO NOT plant on land where melons were grown before, even 
if four or five years before, if you have other good land. The vines 
remove something from the soil not readily replaced, and following 
crops may produce deformed melons with black ends or shriveled 
ends, even from the best of seeds. Sometimes, due to unfavorable 
growing conditions, the first set will produce some ill shaped or 
blackened melons. These should be pulled from the vines, allowing 
more shapely melons to set on. 
Do not press on melons to see if they are ripe. This injures them 
and results In very poor melons. A slight thump with the finger, 
if the sound rings clear and a high tone, indicates a green melon; 
if a hollow, low tone, or rather dead tone, the melon is ripe. 
Usually the curl where the melon attaches to the vine dies when 
the melon IS Tipe By a little practice you can tell by the color. A 
bright, growing color indicates a green melon: a dull green indi- 
cates ripeness. 
D. D. T. CAUTION. Do not dust or spray using D. D. T. on beans, 
cucumbers, cantaloupes, or watermelons. Use the new Marlate In- 
secticide for control of cucumber beetles and a good nicotine dust 
for killing aphis. 
OUR WATERMELON SEED 
@® We have been growing Watermelon Seed since 1896 and while 
we grow a large acreage at the present time practically all of it 
goes direct to commercial growers. We have watched the principal 
growing sections and the markets to know the varieties most in 
demand and those of the highest quality. 
and use of Blacklee is increasing rapidly. Western shippers prefer 
Klondike. Oregon uses the Srtiped Klondike Blue Ribber, and: Cale 
equal to our Red Heart Watson. Don’t 
being introduced this year. overlook the New Congo 
ee 
a i 
44 D. V. Burrell Seed Growers Co., Rocky Ford, Colo. 
