74 THE FORCING GARDEN. 



things are all important in Melon growing, and although 

 the Melon may be regarded as giving less trouble 

 than the Cucumber, yet some few precautions are 

 necessary that are not needed in the case of the 

 Cucumber. For instance, no water should ever be put 

 upon the collar of the plants, i.e. round about the stems 

 immediately attached to the roots ; Cucumbers do not 

 like too much of that, but Melons will canker or shank 

 off if they are watered there. 



The Melon is very liable to the red spider in both 

 houses and frames, but more so in houses, especially 

 when the fruit is ripening. This arises from the dry- 

 ness of the air ; the thrip will also trouble the Melon 

 in its early stages of growth, before the fruit gets 

 half its proper size. The same remedies which have 

 been recommended for the Cucumber may be used 

 here ; but if some flour of sulphur is kept in the 

 house, laid on dry slates or sheets of iron where the 

 sun can get at it, and where it will be safe from 

 the wet, sufficiently gentle and harmless fumes as 

 regards vegetation will be given off, which will act 

 as a preventive to the red spider, thrip, &c. As 

 a preventive is far better than a cure, I have no 

 doubt but that this remedy will answer well ; but if 

 either the red spider, or the thrip, is allowed to get 

 thoroughly established on the plants, and recourse 

 must be had to strong doses of sulphur fumes to 

 despatch them, nothing can be more dangerous, 

 for very small overdoses of sulphur fumes will destroy 

 every plant. Tobacco fumes are useless to destroy 

 these insect pests. 



As soon as the Melon plants reach the roof of the 

 house which is no great distance, for the top of the 



