During the closing decade of the 19th tury the demand for highly flavored melons was greatly increased by the apperance in the east ern markets of the Rockyford melon, a small fruit grown in Colorado. Its appearance in large quantities drew public attention to numer ous other high flavored melons grown in other sections. As a consequence many inferior varie ties have nearly disappeared from cultivation. Besides the Colorado melon fields there are large areas devoted to melon-growing in New' Mexico and California. New Jersey, Mary land and Delaware produce immense quantities, the first-mentioned State especially; and the product is consumed largely in the cities of Pennsylvania and New York. The Mississippi Valley States also send considerable quantities to Northern markets.
The watermelon is an annual trailing herb. a native of tropical and southern Africa, whence it has been introduced by man into all tropical, subtropical and many temperate climates for its watery sweet fruits, which sometimes weigh more than 75 pounds, bin usually range between 20 and 50 pounds_ The vines are more hairy, lighter green, longer run ning than those of the muskmelon and the leaves are deeply notched, in some cases ap proaching the compound form. Except for a horticultural group of firm-fleshed varieties known as preserving watermelons or more pop ularly as citrons, the watermelon seems to have no varieties worthy the name of sub-species or botanical varieties, and even this group appears not to have received such designation.
In general, the watermelon requires the same treatment as the muskmelon, the soil being, if anything, lighter and more sandy, and the dis tances between hills about double, except for the smaller growing sorts. The principal pro ducing regions are Georgia and Colorado, but the watermelon is grown largely in all the southern States, and some of the short-seaso? varieties as far north as Michigan and Ontario. The watermelon is more easily shipped than the muskmelon, since the tough-rinded kinds ma% be placed in cars two or more feet deep, the smaller specimens upon the bottom, and shipped long distances. Muskmelons, being more de!.
icate, must be barreled or crated. The fruits are used exclusively in the raw state and hze no by-products such as vinegar, sugar, syrup ur brandy. The rinds, however, when deprhei of the hard exterior, are often preserved en!): raisins, etc.
Both muskmelons and watermelons are sub ject to the attacks of several insects, aniont which the small, black, striped cucumber-beetle (Diabritka vittata), the squash vine-borer (Mellitia (vie), the melon-caterpillar (Mar garonia hyalinata), the cucumber flea-beetle (Crepidodera cucumcris), the squash-bug (Atlas° tristis) and the melon-louse (Aphis gossipii) are the most important. Tobacco dust and plant protectors are largely used to prevent the attacks of the first, the adults of which feed upon the under sides of the leaves and the larvae upon the roots. The melon-louse n fought with kerosene emulsion sprayed upon the under sides of the leaves or by fumigatiee with carbon disulphide. No effective remedy has been suggested for the borer. Arsenical sprays have been recommended for the cater pillars and other chewing insects. - Since the insects are believed to spread diseases front plant to plant, melon-growers seek to prevent insect injury as far as possible and practicable. The diseases, of which a large number have been described, are much the same as attack cucumbers, and may be similarly controlled where control has been found possible. Some diseases, as wilt, have defied all tried remedies. This disease generally ruins the vines a week or 10 days before the fruits would be ready to harvest. Many of the complaints as to the poor quality of eastern-grown muskmelons re sult from the sale of melons that have been gathered from blighted fields.
Consult Bailey, 'Cyclopedia of Standard Horticulture,' (New York 1916).
M. G. Klaus, Crop ExPerl