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THE TLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



them. Tliis mode of stopping -svas adopted to save all tlie trusses that 

 Avere pushing at tlie tops of the shoots, and at the same time promote a 

 bushy growth below. Another week on the back shelf only brings us to 

 the ist of June,, and the plants were then such as one would jump at 

 for six shillings per dozen. 



I must now make a note on the growth of melons. In 1859 the 

 melon pknts were got forward in a dung frame, and were placed in a 

 corner of the house as soon as they were established in 48-size pots. At 

 the end of May the house was cleared, and the plants were shifted at 

 once into fifteen-inch pots, well drained, and tbe soil a mixture of turf, 

 clay, and a little rotten dung, rammed in hard. These pots were stood on 

 the border, two under each light, and the ventilation regulated so as to 

 economize sun-heat, and yet keep the plants sufficiently aired. As soon 

 as the vines began to push beyond the edges of the pots, the pots were 

 banked up with soil, so as to form mounds. This v*'as delayed as long as 

 possible, to get as much sun-heat as possible on the large potf, and by the 



— — '■ri'f v rp£jT.S^ 



time the earthing up took place the sun-heat had increased so as to be 

 sufficient to warm the mounds through. The crop of melons that year 

 was all that could be desired, botb in quantity and quality, and as the 

 fruit were all set early, it ripened to perfection, and the flavour of the 

 raoscatellos was delicious. When the mounds were cleared away they 

 were found to be full of roots which had worked through the bottoms of 

 the pots, and so into the soil of the borders. In 1860 this method of 

 growing melons was a downright failure ; there w-as no sun-heat, and the 

 crop consisted of a few green fruits that were given to somebody's pigs, 

 and the pigs refused to eat them ; therefore for the future the soil will be 

 taken out about a foot deep, and well worked dung will be put in its 

 place and carried nearly up to the under surface of the glass, and on this 

 fermenting material the melons will be planted. By the time they are 

 fruiting the bed will have sunk, and the appearance of the house will be 

 as shown in the view of the interior. 



I can make space for only one more note on the use of this lean-to. 



