68 TIIE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



the house grow up and become accustomed to the somewhat dry 

 atmosphere, and are consequently better able to battle with its un- 

 congeniality. It is a most, excellent plan to sow the seed singly in 

 small 60-size pots, filled about half full of soil, and then to earth 

 up the young plants until the pots are filled. It is very important 

 not to keep the plants starving in pots, and everything should be in 

 readiness for their being planted by the time the leader is fairly 

 formed. The early crops must have the assistance of a genial 

 bottom-heat, which can be supplied either by hot-water pipes along 

 the bottom of the bed, or by fermenting materials. If fermenting 

 materials are employed, they should be put in the bed before the 

 seed is sown, to aftbrd time for the bed to become thoroughly sweet 

 and consolidated by the time the plants are ready for turning out. 



Prepare the compost by mixing a small portion of leaf-mould 

 with sound turfy loam, just to keep it open. Manure must not be 

 employed, as it encourages an over-luxuriant growth, and renders 

 the plants liable to be attacked with canker, which is one of the 

 worst enemies the melon has to contend with. When prepared, put 

 the compost in a ridge of about fifteen inches in thickness, and about 

 twenty inches in width, down the centre of the beds, and beat it 

 very firm with the back of the spade. Plant when the soil has 

 become nicely warmed; and, if the heat of the fermenting material 

 exceeds, or is likely to exceed, 90°, lay a few strips of turf under 

 the ridge, to prevent the possibility of the roots being injured by 

 the heat. In a few weeks the roots will penetrate to the outside of 

 the ridge, and then put about six or nine inches of soil, of the same 

 temperature as that of the house, on each side ; and repeat the 

 operation as required, until the space allotted to the bed is filled. 



Each plant must be trained up with a single shoot, and sup- 

 ported with a neat stake, until the trellis is reached ; then nip out 

 the point of each, and train the side-shoots regularly over the trellis, 

 to afford each an equal amount of space. Allow each shoot to extend 

 to the limits of the trellis, and then stop it. This will cause the 

 production of laterals, most of which will show one or more fruit. 

 If the trellis is likely to become over-crowded, thin out a few of the 

 weakest laterals, reserving the final thinning until the fruit is set ; 

 but a large amount of growth must not be removed at one time. 

 In fine, open weather in the summer, the flowers will generally 

 become fertilized by insect agency ; but, as a rule, the safest plan is 

 to fertilize them artificially, by taking off the male blossom, and 

 dusting the pollen on to the stigma of the fruit-bearing flower. 

 The bed must have a thorough soaking of water just before the 

 principal portion of the fertile flowers expand, and then no more 

 must be applied until the fruit has attained the size of a small hen's 

 egg, or they will turn yellow and fall off. 



Ventilate freely whenever the air can be admitted without ex- 

 posing the plants to cold draughts, which are most injurious, and at 

 other times only admit sufficient air to maintain a pure atmosphere. 

 Shut up early, and syringe the foliage with tepid water to keep free 

 from red spider and thrips, and to maintain a healthy growth. A 

 few cans of water should be thrown on the paths two or three times 



