40 THE BOOK OF RARER VEGETABLES 



growth and show fruit. Four to six fruits are ample. 

 After these are secured, later fruits and lateral growth 

 should be stopped, the plants syringed overhead twice 

 daily and kept free of insect pests. 



The above-described culture is for pot plants, but I 

 think the best results are obtained from plants planted out 

 in beds, not unlike Capsicums, or treated like Vegetable 

 Marrows given frame culture. By planting out, a greater 

 number of fruits are secured from the plants, as they 

 begin to fruit in June and continue bearing till late in 

 the summer. Some growers sow their seed in the hot 

 bed and thin out others in pots, and plant out when the 

 bed is at the right temperature. In all cases there must 

 be a warm bed to get the best results ; not too hot, but 

 made so that the fermenting materials retain the heat as 

 long as possible. In this country I have seen excellent 

 results by growing in frames. A bed is prepared in March 

 and on this is placed a frame, with from 4 to 6 inches 

 of good soil. When this latter is warmed through, the 

 seedlings should be planted, having previously been raised 

 in small pots. Each plant is made firm and may be 

 allowed 2 feet space and the sashes kept closed for a few 

 days, shading the plants, giving ventilation carefully as 

 the plants increase in growth, damping overhead freely 

 late in the afternoon, and stopping shoots and thinning the 

 plants later on. At midsummer the sashes may be re- 

 moved entirely, but there must be no lack of water or 

 food, as red spider generally attacks the plants if at all 

 dry, and if this is allowed to spread the fruits fail to set 

 or swell. Scale also attacks the plants if they are in any 

 way neglected during growth. In cold or exposed places 

 I would advise sowing early and giving frame culture 

 from start to finish. On the other hand, in the southern 

 part of the country the plants will fruit in the open 

 ground if planted out in rich soil. 



