TRAINING AND PRUNING. 



213 



stopped at the second or third leaf, and by the time the 

 sub-laterals show fruit other fruits will be showing on 

 the first laterals higher up. The plants, whether grow- 

 ing in houses or pits, should be gone over twice or 

 three times a week for the purpose of stopping and re- 

 moving any superfluous growth, so as to allow of the 

 principal leaves being fully exposed to the light. Stop 

 at the first joint beyond the fruit, and remove all weak 

 growths and laterals not showing fruit. 



74. Pistillate flower of melon. Full size. 



"Overcrowding is the greatest evil in melon culture, 

 because the excessive foliage must be thinned, and its 

 removal results in exudation from the wounds, gan- 

 grene sets in, and the affected parts perish through 

 'wet-rot' (bacteria and bacillus growths). To arrest 

 these, antiseptics must be used ; the safest is quicklime, 

 rubbing it well into the affected parts, and repeating as 

 necessary. But the worst effect of removing a large 



