POLLINATION.—VARIETIES. 215 
three female flowers may be dusted with one male. If 
the house is too cool and too moist, the pollen will not 
form readily, and there are some varieties which are 
poor in pollen when grown under glass. 
Every pistillate or female flower, except the first two 
or three which appear, should be pollinated, although not 
more than four or five on each plant should be allowed 
to perfect fruit. It is very rare that even half of the fe- 
male flowers show a disposition to set fruit. It is best 
to ignore the very first flowers which appear, for if one 
strong fruit is set much in advance of the appearing of 
other pistillate flowers, it will usurp the energies of the 
plant, and the later fruits will be likely to fail. Upon this 
point Barkham remarks: ‘‘Never commence fertilizing 
the blooms until there is a sufficient number ready at 
one time, or within an interval of three days, to furnish 
the crop. If one or two fruits are allowed to swell off 
first, the later-set fruit will not swell, but die away. In- 
deed, if only one fruit is set in advance of the rest, it 
will monopolize all the strength of the plant, and pre- 
vent any more fruit from setting. When a sufficient 
number of fruits is set, select the largest and_ best 
shaped, taking off all small and misshapen ones. If 
large fruits are wanted, leave from four to six fruits to 
each plant, or if smaller fruits are desired, allow eight 
or ten to remain.’? Mr. Barkham here speaks of the 
spring crop (seeds sown in January or later), and his 
plants are about 3 feet apart each way. 
Varieties. — The general varieties of field melons do 
not succeed well in the house. We have tried various 
common melons for forcing, but the only one which was 
adapted to the purpose is Emerald Gem. We have had 
the best success with the English frame varieties, particu- 
larly with Blenheim Orange. All these melons are small 
(winter specimens weighing from 1% to 2 Ibs.), with 
thin netted rinds, and a red or white flesh of high quality. 
Blenheim Orange (Fig. 76, page 216) is a red-fleshed 
