368 VILLA GARDENING part IV 



pouring in water to moisten the bottom-heat, otherwise it might 

 get too dry to be genial. For very early Melons it might be 

 desirable to increase the number of pipes for top-heat, to avoid the 

 necessity for hard firing, which, in the case of a plant so subject to 

 red-spider as the Melon, might predispose them to attack. Over 

 the rubble should be placed as much fermented dung, or leaves, or 

 a mixture of the two, as will fill the pit up to the top, for the 

 nearer Melons are trained to the glass, provided the leaves do not 

 touch, the better. 



Soil. — As regards soil. Melons do not require any complicated 

 mixture. Turfy loam that has been laid up in the heaps six or eight 

 months is quite sufficient, and except the first barrow-load, which 

 is placed in each hill — about 4 feet apart — to plant in, it may be 

 used quite rough. Good Melons have been grown trained in a 

 makeshift manner on pliable Ash or Hazel rods, bent over from 

 each side, and tied together in the centre ; but the expense of 

 having the house properly fitted up with wires is not great, and it 

 will look neater and be better. 



Raising the Plants. — Melons seed so freely that few people 

 ever think of striking cuttings, though the young shoots strike 

 freely in a warm pit, and sometimes it may be desirable to increase 

 the stock of a new or favourite kind in that way ; but the majority 

 of the plants are raised from seeds. Where Melons are required 

 early the first lot of seed shovdd be sown early in February, in a 

 warm house or pit, having a temperature of not less than 65° at 

 night ; and at this early season it is best to sow in single pots, 

 one seed in the centre of each, sowing more seeds than we require 

 plants, in order to have a power of selection. If six plants are 

 required at least a dozen seeds should be sown. Sow in light 

 sandy compost, and, if possible, plunge the pots till the seeds 

 germinate in a bottom-heat of 75° or 80°. In all stages of its 

 existence the Melon should be grown in a strong light, for only 

 thus can strong healthy foliage be built up. Once begin to weaken 

 the growth of the plants, by shading or by permitting the plants to 

 remain any distance from the glass, and we predispose them to the 

 attack of the red spider, which will probably appear on the scene 

 by and by. When the plants have attained to the rough-leaf stage 

 they may be shifted into 48-sized pots, still keeping them near the 

 glass ; and when the roots are fairly into the new soil, if the house 

 is ready, plant them out. Nothing is gained by thick planting. 

 Plant 4 feet apart, and lead out a shoot from the bottom of each 

 plant, besides the main stem, and train up midway between that 

 and its next neighbour. The leaders should be taken up without 

 stopping till the allotted space is covered, and then the terminal 



