Growing Melons Under Glass 



By James S. Bache. 



Without doubt the melon is one of the most delicious 

 of our tender summer desert fruits. It is only during 

 the summer months that the melon is fully appreciated 

 as later in the year its flavor is not so fully developed. 

 Originally a native of Persia, the earliest of which we 

 have any record of is the Musk, said by Phillips to have 

 been brought to England in 1520, probably from Italy, 

 and for some time its cultivation was confined to the 

 Ro)al gardens at St. James. Another account gives the 

 date of its introduction as 1570 and Jamaica as the 

 country from which it was received. Though cultivated 

 with us as a luxury, in the East the melon forms one 

 of the necessaries of life in both Persia and Caboel. It is 

 perhaps most extensively grown in the open air. Noth- 

 ing is gained by sowing the seeds too early, for if they 

 germinate during the dark sunless days the young plants 

 will, become weak and spindly and most probably will 

 be overtaken with disease. Different growers usually 

 have their own particular methods of sowing the seeds 

 and growing on the plants. 



Fill small pots in which the seeds are sown with a rather 

 light compost consisting of loam and leaf mold in equal 

 quantities; afterwards make use of nothing but loam for 

 melon culture, and, provided the loam is good, it cannot 

 be improved by any other material. When the seed 

 leaves are seen pushing through the soil place the pots 

 as near the glass as possible, where they soon strengthen 

 and make good progress. Very little water will be needed 

 until plenty of roots are made. At night, if the weather 

 is cold, throw a mat over the glass on the outside to 

 protect them. It is a mistake to plant melons, especial!} 

 early ones, in too large a body of soil, as finer fruits are 

 obtained if the roots are confined to a comparatively 

 small area and it is less apt to become sour, for it is si i 

 full of roots that the water given to it is quickly absorbed. 

 At a later stage the plants can also be more efficiently as- 

 sisted by stimulants when the roots are confined than ii 

 allowed to ramble over a larger area. 



As soon as the melons are established in their new 

 quarters pinch out the points. This causes them to pusli 

 forth several side shoots, and the two uppermost shoots 

 should be left to grow about 18 feet, when they alsd 

 should be stopped. Several laterals will again soon be 

 produced and most probalily some will bear female 

 flowers. The word probably is used because it is char- 

 acteristic of some varieties to rarely produce fruit upon 

 the first lateral growth. It is not until these have been 

 stopped and the sublaterals appear that female flowers 

 are obtained: the melon plant is monoecious, that is, the 

 male and female organs arc enclosed in separate flowers, 

 although both flowers are on the same plant. In order, 

 therefore, to obtain properly developed fruits it is neces- 

 sary that the pistillate or female flowers be fertilized by 

 the pollen of the stamenate or male flowers. The 

 pistillate flower is easily distinguished from the pollen 

 bearing flower by the ovary (resembling a miniature 

 melon ) which may be seen below the corolla. During the 

 time the fruit are swelling the plants will need copious 

 supplies of water as the soil will dry up quickly. Ap- 

 plications of liquid manure are very beneficial at this 

 period and may be given at least twice a week. Regulat- 

 ing and stopping of the shoots are necessary when the 

 plants are in full growth : each shoot that bears a fruit 

 needs pinching one leaf bcNond the fruit and all laterals 

 and sublaterals that eventually appear require to be regu- 

 lated by stopping accordiuL: to the room vacant on the 

 plant. It is well to pine!' the shoots when they are 



young and to do so gradually. By this means the vigor 

 of the plants, thougli not checked in any way, will be 

 directed to those parts where most needed. When the 

 fruit api)roaches the ripening period there are several 

 cultural details which ought not to be neglected, as the 

 fruit at this stage easily spoils. As soon as signs of 

 ripening are noticeable less moisture and more air should 

 be given in hot weather and moist atmosphere the fruit 

 may split ; some varieties will behave thus even when great 

 care is taken to prevent it. If an excess of moisture be 

 present it also invarialily settles around the collar of the 

 fruit, i c, where the latter is joined to the stalk, and 

 speedily causes decay. Less water at the roots is neces- 

 sary at this time, although a certain dryness both of 

 soil and atmosphere with an increase of air are neces- 

 sary for the full development of the flavor of the fruit. 

 If these measures arc adopted before the fruit is fully 

 grown it would be found that instead of this having in- 

 creased in flavor it was wanting in the most necessary 

 qualit}-. -\ few of the leaves may be stripped ofif im- 

 mediately anmnd tlic melon w'hen ripening in order to 

 a.lir.il aiV ar.d al! ]iii--^i].]r M:iili-!'.l. 



Mia.o.Ns CKOWN rsY j.\s. s. n.\cni:. 



When the stalk jiartially leaves the fruit, a good indica- 

 tion is given that the latter is in a fit condition to be 

 cut. This does not always hold good as some varieties 

 take longer to ripen than others. If the top of the melon, 

 when pres.sed gently with the thumb, feels slightly soft 

 to the touch and a pleasant smell is also emitted one 

 mav be fairly sure that the fruit is ripe. 



(if all disea.ses to which the melon plant is subject that 

 known as canker is undoubtedly the most destructive ; 

 the part aiTectcd becomes soft and if preventive meas- 

 ures be not taken quickly decays. The base of the 

 stem is usualh the portion attacked. To avoid this 

 maladv the cultivator should endeavor to keep the stem 

 hard and strong. When watering the beds great care 

 is necessary to insu'c that the stems of the plants remain 

 always perfectlv dry. When the shoots are allowed to 

 grow and develop iicfore stopping or removing a lot 

 of foliage, at once canker is promoted. The shoots often 

 die back to the stL-m instead of healing. .\n atmosphere 

 continually saturate! with moisture will also weaken the 

 plants, thus rendering them more lialilc to canker. 



