Cracking Melon

Cracking Melon

　　　　It earns its name because its thin and delicate skin tends to crack under slight pressure once ripe. The fruit is oblong, slightly thicker in the middle, resembling an olive-shaped horsebell, hence also referred to as the Horsebell Melon. Each melon generally weighs around 2 kilograms, with larger ones reaching 2.5 to 3 kilograms. The rind is pale green with faint floral net-like patterns, extremely thin and brittle. The inner flesh is pale yellow, the seeds are blood-red, and the flesh is thick, juicy, and especially sweet, with a refreshing aroma. The Cracking Melon plant is delicate and requires specific growing conditions—for instance, being planted in well-drained fields, with ample base fertilizer applied. After fruit setting, only light fertilizer should be used; strong or chemical fertilizers must be avoided. To combat drought, irrigation ditches should be used rather than flood irrigation. Melons should be harvested in the afternoon to minimize the risk of cracking.