The cultivation of the watermelon is practically the same as for the
muskmelon, except that the plants grow larger and require more room
for development than those of the muskmelon. Watermelons require that
the soil should contain a larger percentage of sand than muskmelons,
and that the land should be quite rich. Watermelons should be planted
10 feet each way between the hills, or in drills 10 feet apart and
thinned to 3 feet apart in the drills. The watermelon seedlings must be
protected from the cucumber beetle until the foliage becomes toughened.
Watermelons readily group themselves into six classes based upon the
color or characteristics of the skin or external appearance. It does
not necessarily follow that in the proposed classification the fruit
of each variety will all be of the same form to which it is referred;
for, as every melon grower knows, the fruits in each hill vary more or
less; but if everything is normal and favorable for their development
the characteristic form or that typifying the variety will predominate.
The larger the experience of the grower, the easier it is for him to
understand these various types. In order to get the true type of each
variety, it is important that the seeds be secured directly from the
seedsman who first introduced them thus avoiding complications or
errors.--(F. B. 255; N. H. E. S. 86; Ind. E. S. 123; N. Mex. E. S. 63;
S. Dak. E. S. 67.)
I. Light Green { Sweet Heart Type
Class { (oval shape)
{ ---- ----
{ (medium shape)
{ Monarch Type,
{ (Long shape)
II. Medium Green { Icing Type,
Class { (oval shape)
{ ---- ----
{ (medium shape)
{ Jackson Type,
{ (long shape)
III. Dark Green { Black Spanish Type
Class { (oval shape)
{ ---- ----
{ (medium shape)
{ Boss Type,
{ (long shape)
IV. Light Striped { Kolb's Gem Type,
Class { (oval shape)
{ Cuban Queen Type,
{ (medium shape)
{ Rattlesnake Type,
{ (long shape)
V. Dull Striped { Pride of Georgia Type,
Class { (oval shape)
{ Christmas Type,
{ (medium shape)
{ Favorite Type,
{ (long shape)
VI. Mottled Green { Nabob Type,
Class { (oval shape)
{ Phinney Type,
{ (medium long shape)