18 ERICKSON’S SEED STORE 
MUSKMELON or CANTALOUPE 
Golden Osage Muskmelon 
GROWING MUSK MELONS OR CANTALOUPES 
Plant 3 lbs. per acre in drills or 1 lb. if hand planted in hills. The land should be 
a sandy loam, do not plant where cantaloupes were grown previously within three or 
four years. 
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 cultivate often. We have found 8 or 10 cultivations 
at least should be given and more would be better. 
Don’t buy cheap seed. Your crop costs about fifty dollars per acre, and often 
more, considering rental of land, before you begin to pick, and poor seed may cut the 
value of the crop in two and even more. Four to six dollars per acre for the best 
seeds is small compared with other costs. Buy the best seed. 
