224 MUSKMELON. 
droops, and then shrivels and hangs on the stem, as 
seen’ in’ the -lower leaf. in Fig.° 79. \ So” far as “our 
botanists have been able to determine, this disorder 
is not due to any fungus or parasite. It is a physio- 
logical disease. Fortunately, the cause of this attack 
was not far to seek. The melons were in a perfect 
state of health and vigor when, early in October, the 
gardener and myself went away for a few days. The 
house was left in charge of an attendant. The weather 
came off cloudy and damp. The house was over-wa- 
tered, the plants syringed, and the foliage went through 
the night dripping wet. The next day the house did 
not dry off. The second day, when I returned, I had 
fears that dire results would follow, although the foliage 
looked well. I had the temperature raised and the 
house dried off. In two or three days the spots began 
to appear on the foliage, and in spite of all our efforts 
a third or more of the leaves were ruined and the plants 
seriously checked. What promised to be the best crop 
of melons which we had ever raised turned out to be 
almost a failure. 
