254 MANAGEMENT OF THE VARIOUS CROPS, 
Insects troubling melons are aphis and mealy-bug, es- 
pecially the latter. Fumigate with tobacco for the aphis, 
and knock off the mealy-bug witha hard stream of water. 
Mites are also serious on house melons. For these, keep 
the foliage well syringed (page 221). 
Diseases of house melons are mildew and damping- 
off. For the former, improve the sanitary conditions, and 
then use sulphur. For damping-off, or canker, keep the 
earth dry about the crown of the plant, and use soils 
which do not remain wet and pasty on top. House-blight 
is a name which we have given to a physiological trouble 
(Fig. 79), which arises when the plants are allowed to go 
through the night wet, especially when other sanitary con- 
ditions are bad (page 222). 
PARSLEY. 
Parsley is forced from roots taken to the house in the 
fall, and which are raised from spring-sown seeds. Treat 
essentially the same as for lettuce (page 142). 
PEA. 
Both dwarf and tall peas may be forced. The former 
give earlier results, but the larger and better yields are 
obtained from the half-tall varieties. Varieties like Rural 
New-Yorker will mature in 70 to 80 days from the seed 
in winter. The temperature should be as low as for let- 
tuce. Peas may be grown in solid beds or in boxes 
placed amongst other plants. Peas yield little, and they 
are rarely forced for market (page 135). 
PEPINO. 
The pepino is a solanum, something like eggplant, 
which may be forced in a cool house. It is a sub-shrub, 
and is propagated by cuttings. Cuttings taken in March 
may be expected to bear the next January or February, 
