Cucumbers, Melons, Squash and Pumpkins 
Probably the best way to grow these in the home garden is to plant them in water holes. Space the 
water holes about 9 feet apart in the row, using large cans (they don’t have to be new). Punch a 
half a dozen or so small holes in the sides and sink the can in the ground to the rim. Work the soil 
deeply and if possible, Joosen it with old manure, peatmoss, compost or well rotten grass clippings. 
Then, when time comes to plant the seed (they should not be planted until the weather is warm and 
the danger of a late frost is over) space 5 or 6 seeds around each can about 3 inches out and cover 
with soil about 1 inch deep. 
Keep the can filled with water and about every 3 weeks add 1 teaspoon of a balanced plant food*to 
the water. 
The most important thing to remember about cucumbers, melons and squash, is insect control. As 
soon as the seedlings produce leaves, spray with a 3 per cent nicotine dust to destroy aphids. 
Use this dust once a week for ten weeks. After the third week. add 2 parts of arsenate of lead to the 
dust to destroy beetles, or use one of all purpose dusts now on the market. 
All cucumbers will climb if they are permitted to do so. When garden space is limited home 
gardeners have found that cucumbers will be happy climbing a fence, whether it is called a climber 
or not. Even those with the largest fruits so heavy that you might think that they would need 
support, seldom do. 
A Program for Garden Sanitation 
About 75% of the work and much of the 
damage caused by insects can be elimin- 
ated by a*simpie, regular program of san- 
itation, Preventitive dusting or spraying 
is much easier than waging a losing battle 
against bugs when they appear. Usually, 
less than 30 minutes a week should be 
needed for a regular sanitation program 
for both flowers and vegetables. 
Along with a regular program of insect 
control, plan on destroying weeds aiong 
the edges of your garden, the places where 
insects hide during the winter. If pos- 
sible, control the weeds for a distance of 
at least 25 feet on all sides of the garden. 
Not only will this eliminate insect hiding 
places, but it will reduce the number of 
weed seeds that might otherwise blow into 
your garden. 
Apply insecticides to the grass and weeds 
about every three weeks, so that most in- 
D.D.T. for pest control has changed the 
whole scheme of garden layout. We can 
now divide vegetables into two groups— 
one to be dusted with D.D.T. and the other 
to be left undusted. The D.D.T. plot should 
be on the lee side so that wind will not 
drift from it onto those which should not 
be dusted. This puts the following vege- 
tables on the side away from the wind— 
bush and pole beans, limas, beets (unless 
you want to eat the thinnings as greens) 
carrots, sweet corn, eggplant, okra, onions, 
parsnips, peas, peppers, radishes, tomatoes 
and turnips (again, only if you don't eat 
the greens). Facing the wind should be 
the vegetables not to be dusted, including 
Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, Chinese cab- 
bage, collards, cucumber, endive, kale, 
kohlrabi, lettuce, muskmelon, parsley, 
pumpkin, rhubarb, spinach, squash, Swiss 
chard and watermelon. In general rows 
get better distribution of sunshine if they 
run north and south. If this arrangement 
isn't necessary, better put corn and other 
tall crops to the north of the shorter crops. 
Sweet corn should not be planted in one 
or two long rows, but in several short 
rows. 
Quick-Figuring Chart for Dilutions 
@ With Liquid Materials e 
For Use to make 
Strength | qt. I gal. 
1-100 
Use to make 
Use to make 
5 gals. 
Use to make 
25 gals. 
2'/2 tspns. 
| tspn, 
Vy tspn. 
Yo tspn. 
V3 tspn. 
V4 tspn,. 
V4 tspn, 
10 tspns. 
5 tspns. 
2'/p tspns. 
2 tspns. 
134 tspns. 
I/4 tspns. 
| tspn. 
12 tblspns. 
6\/44 tblspns. 
3 tblspns. 
2! tblispns. 
2 tblispns. 
6 tspns, 
5 tspns, 
sate 
lpr 
8 oz. 
6 oz. 
sects that might otherwise move into the 
garden will be killed. So will mosquitoes, 
chiggers and harvest mites that can make 
gardening unpleasant. 
1-200 
1-400 
1-500 
1-600 
1-800 
1-1000 
5roz 
4 oz. 
The regular use of weed killers will keep ; 
oz. 
down all of the weeds without danger of 
Poisoning animals or children, When using 
your weed killer around flowers and vege- 
tables, however, be extremely careful not 
to allow the spray to drift onto these, as 
most garden plants are as easy to Kill 
as the weeds. 
4 tspns. equal | tblspn.; 2 tblspn. equal | oz.: 16 ozs. equal | pt. 
@ With Powdered Materials e 
Use to make 
! gad. 
| tblspn, 
134 tspns. 
224 tbispns. 
5 Ib. 4\/> tspns, 4\/, tblspns. 4 oz. l/r Ib, 
6 |b. 5!/3 tspns. 5!/3 tblspns. 434, oz. 8 oz. 
Measures are for material weighing the same as flour, For heavier materials use less. 
Weigh if possible. Strain before usiAg, 
Use to make 
| qt. 
| tspn, 
134 tspns, 
224 tspns, 
Rate per 
100 gals. 
! lily, 
2 |b. 
3 Ib. 
Use to make 
5 gals. 
4 tblspns. 
8 tblspns, 
2!) Oz. 
Use to make 
25 gals. 
4 oz. 
12 oz. 
4 |b. 
Any spray that will kill grasses will also 
hurt the soil so that it can't be used for 
growing plants or several years. If this is 
not objectionable, use one of the non- 
selective weed killers and clear the ground 
of all vegetation (as on driveways, tennis 
courts, etc.) Ask us for details. 
42 
