CHAP. XI VILLA GARDENING 373 



Diseases and Insects. — The chief disease which attacks 

 Melons is the gangrene or ulcer. It seizes the main stems and 

 generally causes premature death. If promptly met it may be 

 checked by a free use of quicklime applied to the parts attected, 

 by increasing the temperature, giving more ventilation, and water- 

 ing very carefully. Avoid pouring the water in the centre of the 

 plant, but give it more liberally round the sides of the frame. 

 This disease is more troublesome in frames than houses. Fluctua- 

 tion in the bottom-heat fiu-uishes a condition favourable to its 

 propagation. Cold and damp help it forward, but warmth and 

 dryness are its enemies. It has something of a fungoid character. 

 The chief enemy of the Melon-grower is the red spider. I suppose 

 that Melons are more injuriously affected by this insect than by 

 any other cause. No matter how carefully the cultural conditions 

 may be carried out, sooner or later he makes his appearance. If 

 he cannot get a footing beforehand in house or frame, he Avill at 

 least be in at the death. Tlie best antidotes are a vigorous growth 

 in the full light of the sun, a genial condition as regards moisture 

 at the root and in the atmosphere, witli a smell of sulphur about 

 the house or frame at all times. Regarding varieties, little need 

 be said, as Melons are good or bad mainly because of the surromid- 

 ing conditions of culture. 



CHAPTER XI 



Forcing the Stra-wberry. — Immense numbers of Strawberries 

 are forced annually in pots, and for early work there is no better 

 way of forcing them. Later crops have often been- well done in 

 boxes, or i^lanted in frames. But the forcing of the Strawberry, as 

 now carried out by the best cultivators, Avith single plants in 6-inch 

 pots, is the best and most advanced practice. 



Selecting the Plants. — Once I was gravely asked if the first 

 l)lant on a Strawberry runner did not generally come blind. This, 

 of com-se, is a fallacy. If the parents are fertile, the progeny will 

 be so, subject to a constant tendency which all cultivated plants 

 have (especially Strawberries) to return to their original condition, 

 if the means by which they have been lifted up in the scale are 

 withdrawn. It is specially important that all plants intended for 

 forcing should be propagated from advanced types only, and for 

 this end it is a good plan to select some of the best and most 

 fertile of the plants forced. Mark them in the forcing-house, and 

 as they come out, place them on one side till all are collected, and 

 then plant in an open situation, 3 feet apart each way. If all runners 



