iSyi.] MELONS. 301 



slightly convex, and white beneath, having a fine effect in early sum- 

 mer. This, though a common species, is a perfect gem, and ought to be 

 in every collection. 



Tetragonia. — A native of Lapland, Siberia, and northern regions of 

 Canada; is a small heath-like shrub of about 6 inches high ; the leaves 

 are densely imbricated in four rows, giving the plant a peculiar appear- 

 ance ; the flowers, which are of a pure white colour, are not very con- 

 spicuous. It is worth growing, however, and is interesting as an edging 

 plant. Hugh Feaser. 



SEVERAL CROPS OF MELONS ON THE SAME PLANT. 



All the Cucurbitacese have the same habit and mode of growth ; some 

 climbing, however, but mostly trailing, gross-feeding, rapid growers, 

 impatient of checks, or stopping in consequence, producing their fruit 

 in continuation as they grow — Gourds, Squashes, Marrows, Cucumbers, 

 and Melons, with ripe fruit, half-swollen fruit, and fruit just set on the 

 same plant. We have here Cucumbers bearing continuously for two 

 years, and there is no reason why the Melon should not do the same 

 thing if it were profitable and convenient to do so. It is usual, how- 

 ever, to treat the Melon as a very shortlived plant, to secure the set- 

 ting of a certain number of fruit per plant, and after they have suffi- 

 ciently swelled, to withhold water in order to ripen and flavour the 

 fruit. This practice is, in our opinion, a great mistake, and probably 

 the reason why such heaps of trashy Melons are seen at flower-shows. 

 A Melon will not be roasted into flavour. The flavour of a Melon, 

 more than perhaps any other fruit, depends on how it has been grown. 

 On our early Melon plants, generally planted about the beginning of 

 February, we always allow a few fruit to set as soon as they will, even 

 though the plants be but small — say one or two fruits to a plant. Al- 

 though the plants continue to grow, no more fruit will set for a time 

 until these have nearly ceased swelling, which they do very rapidly ; 

 then four to six will set together, according to the size of the plant. 

 By the time the first are ripe, these next are half-swollen, and so on in 

 succession so long as the plants are kept in health with water and ven- 

 tilation, with occasional doses of guano-water. A house, span-roofed, 

 was planted in February of this year with four plants — one Queen 

 Emma, two Royal Ascot, and one Heckfield Hybrid ; the first. Heck- 

 field, was cut the last week in April, weighing 4 lb., which was the 

 first set ; a fortnight to three weeks later four more were cut, averag- 

 ing 3 lb. each. The third lot set consists of one fruit, which will 

 weigh not less than 8 lb., and another 6 lb., and two others 4 lb. There 

 are others now swelling on the same plant like pigeons' and hens' eggs. 



