72 GARDENING 



MELONS SPLITTING 



This is caused by a damp atmosphere ; and 

 when there are indications of this, the house should 

 be ventilated at night and not so much water given. 

 Some varieties of melons are more liable to be 

 injured by the fruit splitting than others, especially 

 the Scarlet Gem. The splitting generally occurs 

 just at the time the fruit is changing colour, and it 

 is often caused by watering too much when the 

 fruit begins to ripen, which affects the skin by con- 

 tracting it when water is applied, if the fruit has 

 been kept rather dry. 



PYRAMID FRUIT TREES 



These are called Quenouilles ; with a central 

 stem, and the branches trained in horizontal tiers, 

 the lowest being the longest, and the others 

 gradually lessening in length as they do in age, so 

 that the tree acquires a pyramidal form. 



SCREENS 



For wall trees glass is the best of all screens, 

 and may be employed as glazed frames, of a length 

 extending from the coping of the wall to the sur- 

 face of the soil, about two feet from the stems of 

 the trees. 



