Megan Waterbury, age 11, of Bessemer, Ala., for her question:

HOW MUCH OF WATERMELON IS WATER?

That delicious, refreshing tasting summertime fruit, watermelon, is made up of 93 percent water. It grows on vines that spread out 12 to 15 feet in length.

Watermelon has a hard outer shell called a rind that encloses the sweet pulp. The pulp becomes a rich red in color as the fruit ripens. The seeds inside the pulp may be white, brown or black. The melons average between 20 and 35 pounds, but in some cases they may weigh as much as 60 pounds.

Watermelons grow best in sandy, moist soil. They can be planted as far north as Canada.

Leading watermelon growing states, in order of importance, are Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and South Carolina. The melons were first grown in Africa and spread to southern Asia in early times.

Scientists have grown bantam size watermelons weighing five pounds and giants weighing 100 pounds. A seedless watermelon has also been developed.