FRUITS 27 



When the plants are six inches high pinch out 

 the point of the growth. When the side branches 

 have grown one foot long, pinch out the points 

 again. The shoots should never be crowded and 

 the weakly ones should be removed entirely. 



When the fruit buds are in full flower, they 

 should be impregnated with pollen from the male 

 blossoms upon the plant, at the same time. Male 

 blooms are simply flowers, only the fruit blossoms 

 are at the end of a small fruit. 



If one or two fruits show in advance of the others, 

 pinch them off, as, if you want a large crop of fruit 

 the flowers should open at one time. Those shoots 

 which show no fruit should be removed, and those 

 with fruit showing allowed to grow without stop- 

 ping. When the fruits are the size of a hen's (igg 

 place them on an inverted flower-pot. Six fruits 

 are as many as a strong plant can swell to a 

 suitable size. 



Ventilation. — A little air should be given at 8 

 A.M., and close the frame in dull weather at 3 P.M. ; 

 but when the sun is hot and bright it should not be 

 closed till 5 o'clock, and at the same time damp the 

 foliage and the side of the frame with warm water. 

 Sometimes in very hot weather it is well to place 

 a double thickness of fish-net over the glass, to 

 prevent the sun scorching the leaves. The roots 

 should be watered once a week when the weather 

 is dry and hot, and once in ten days when it is cool 

 and moist. 



Canker in Melons is generally caused by damp 

 and cold, and moisture settling round the stem of 

 the plant. Therefore the collar of the plant should 

 be placed high on the summit of a slight mound, 

 to keep them comparatively dry. To get rid of it 



