80 ON THE CULTURE 



soil is the Early Cantaloupe ; but any kind of the 

 rock description will never come to perfection. 



It is here necessary to observe that it is 

 impossible ever to obtain fine or good flavoured 

 fruit, if more than one is suffered to swell on a 

 plant at a time, as that support which is essential 

 and onght to be directed to one object, by 

 becoming divided, is insufficient for the per- 

 fection of more, and naturally weakens the fruit, 

 and renders it of little or no value. 



Many horticulturists experience much diffi- 

 culty from the effects of the red spider and 

 canker in melons ; the former being caused by 

 keeping them too dry, and the latter arising from 

 too much moisture. In order to avoid these 

 evils, the following directions should be parti- 

 cularly attended to. When the weather is hot, 

 or there is a strong bottom heat, it is necessary 

 to be free in the application of water, especially 

 round the sides of the boxes ; for when the 

 plants cover the bed, it will not be requisite to 

 give any in the centre over the stems. 



