THE MELON ArrLE. 



have, immediately succeeding the Madelaine and Doyenne d'Ete, will remain on the 

 tree a fortnight after they should be gathered, without appearing to be ripe. We 

 picked some this season in the last week of July, before the very earliest varieties 

 were gone, and while they were quite green-looking; and after laying about two 

 weeks in a drawer, excluded from currents of air, we found them better, more melting, 

 juicy, and higher flavored, than we ever tasted it before, and of finer quality than we 

 had ever expected to find it, equaling a luscious Belle Lucrative. 



It is by experimenting in this way that people must find out the proper time to 

 gather, and the best mode of ripening their fruits. Written instructions, such as we 

 can give, can not be a reliable guide to persons in other localities, where season, 

 climate, and other causes exert a great influence on fruits. All we can do is to 

 suggest the course which must be taken. As a general thing, ten to fifteen days ot 

 house-ripening are essential to bring out the real excellence of summer Pears, and no 

 variety should be pronounced worthless without having been fairly submitted to this 

 treatment. W^e think that currents of air passing over fruits while undergoing the 

 process of ripening, are injurious, though summer fruit rooms should be ventilated, 

 but in such a way as not to produce agitation. We are not positive that light, even 

 the direct rays of the sun, are injurious ; but our experience is, that both color and 

 flavor are brought out more perfectly where the light is subdued. We think our best 

 ripened Pears generally are those shut up in drawers when taken from the tree, and 

 kept there till ripe. Changes of temperature should always be avoided, because they 

 produce a reaction in the ripening process that can not fail to be injurious. A steady 

 temperate heat is the best ; excessive heat in the fruit-room has somewhat the same 

 efiect on the fruits as ripening on the tree. 



We will thank our correspondents who may have experience in these matters, how- 

 ever trifling it may be, if with but one variety, to communicate the results, and thus 

 aid us in collecting in our pages a fund of information on this important topic. We 

 have but opened the matter for discussion ; who will follow ? 



THE MELON APPLE.* 



Synonyms : Watermelon, Norton's Melon. 



Tins finest of American apples was first brought to notice by Ellwanger & Barry, 

 in 1845, through the Albany Cultivator and the Boston Cultivator. Since that time 

 it has been described in Hoveyh Magazine., thirteenth volume, and in all the pomo- 

 logical works published since that time. It has been disseminated to some extent by 

 the purseries ; but the tree being a delicate grower, renders it somewhat diflicult of 

 propagation^ and the stock has consequently been very limited. The best way to 

 obtain good standard trees for orchards within a reasonable time, is to top-graft it on 

 strong growers, such as the Nortliern Spy or Baldwin. The fruit, we think, has 



♦ Bee FrontiBpiece. 



