174 THE GARDENER. [April 



is strong, in the month of August. The temperature required is something 

 like 80° to 00° for bottom-heat : if it gets higher, make holes in the bed, and 

 pour in cold water to reduce the heat. But if prepared as advised, by frequent 

 turnings, and stable-dung and leaves be used in equal proportions, it is not 

 likely to become too hot. After the bed is built, put on the frame, close the 

 sash, and wait till the danger of the heat getting too high is past ; then sow 

 the seeds in good light loam, or in soil as near that description as possible, in 

 4|-inch pots filled three-quarters with soil — three seeds in a pot ; and having 

 covered the bed all over with earth, old tan, old manure, cocoa fibre, or saw- 

 dust, to the depth of 1 inch and 5 inches where the pots are to placed, plunge 

 the pots to the rims. Give no water if the soil be as it should be — moderately 

 moist. Keep the air temperature about 70° to 75°, and admit air on every fav- 

 ourable opportunity ; indeed, never close the light altogether. Should the 

 weather prove severe, cover the frame with mats at night, lettiDg the mat 

 drop over the opening at top, to prevent currents of wind entering the frame ; 

 while excessive moisture will readily escape through the mat. Accumulated 

 moisture is often a fatal evil. Although the night temperature sinks to 60°, or 

 even a degree or two below it at night, no harm will happen provided that the 

 day temperature is at least 70°. In a dung-frame little water will be required - r 

 but do not let the plants suffer from drought, and let the water be as warm as 

 the bottom-heat. "When the plants have grown above the pot, fill the pot with 

 soil to within a quarter of an inch of the top — the same as that recommended 

 for sowing them in — taking care to have it warm by putting it into the frame 

 the day previous. When the pots are fairly filled with roots, shift them into 

 6-inch pots, using the same soil. Always use the soil comfortably moist, but 

 not sticky, to obviate the necessity of giving water until the roots make a 

 fresh start. Meanwhile be getting materials ready for a second bed, in which 

 to fruit the plants. 



If all goes well, they will be ready for transplanting by the time they are from 

 four to six weeks old. When the plants have made two rough leaves, rub 

 out the centre bud, which will cause the plants to throw out three or four side 

 shoots ; these reduce to two. When the plants are just pushing these, then 

 is, the time to plant in the permanent bed. The best soil is a rather tenacious 

 loam from an old pasture, which should be three months in store, and mixed with 

 about a sixth part of horse-droppings if it be heavy, and cow-droppings if light, 

 and a good watering of cow-urine. If good loam cannot be procured, common 

 garden soil will do, and the nearer it approaches maiden loam the better — the 

 worst soil for Melons being black kitchen-garden mould. Avoid rank manure 

 and leaf-mould. Spread 2 inches of the soil all over the bed. Put a little 

 mound in the centre about a foot deep, and 9 inches from the glass. Put two 

 plants in the centre if of Little Golden Queen ; but one will do of such kinds as 

 Little Heath, which is a hardy amateur's Melon. When they start into growth, 

 train a shoot of each in the direction of each of the corners of the frame. Add 

 more soil to the mound as the roots come through it, eventually covering the 

 whole bed ; and when shoots reach within a foot of the corners, nip off their 

 points. By this time lateral shoots will be coming from the axil of every leaf,, 

 which will show fruit at the first joint. In " Little Golden Queen," two and 

 even three fruits at a joint is a common occurrence. Train these laterals at 

 right angles to the main stem, and stop them, one joint beyond the fruit, and 

 ever afterwards keep all young growths rubbed off. Thin the shoots rather 

 than allow them to be crowded. 



Should the weather prove bright and sunny, plenty of air will require to be 



