POLLINATION. VARIETIES. 215 



three female flowers may be dusted with one male. If 

 the house is too cool and too moist, the pollen will not 

 form readily, and there are some varieties which are 

 poor in pollen when grown under glass. 



Every pistillate or female flower, except the first two 

 or three which appear, should be pollinated, although not 

 more than four or five on each plant should be allowed 

 to perfect fruit. It is very rare that even half of the fe- 

 male flowers show a disposition to set fruit. It is best 

 to ignore the very first flowers which appear, for if one 

 strong fruit is set much in advance of the appearing of 

 other pistillate flowers, it will usurp the energies of the 

 plant, and the later fruits will be likely to fail. Upon this 

 point Barkham remarks: "Never commence fertilizing 

 the blooms until there is a sufficient number ready at 

 one time, or within an interval of three days, to furnish 

 the crop. If one or two fruits are allowed to swell off 

 first, the later-set fruit will not swell, but die away. In- 

 deed, if only one fruit is set in advance of the rest, it 

 will monopolize all the strength of the plant, and pre- 

 vent any more fruit from setting. When a sufficient 

 number of fruits is set, select the largest and best 

 shaped, taking off all small and misshapen ones. If 

 large fruits are wanted, leave from four to six fruits to 

 each plant, or if smaller fruits are desired, allow eight 

 or ten to remain." Mr. Barkham here speaks of the 

 spring crop (seeds sown in January or later), and his 

 plants are about 3 feet apart each way. 



Varieties. The general varieties of field melons do 

 not succeed well in the house. We have tried various 

 common melons for forcing, but the only one which was 

 adapted to the purpose is Emerald Gem. We have had 

 the best success with the English frame varieties, particu- 

 larly with Blenheim Orange. All these melons are small 

 (winter specimens weighing from i^ to 2 Ibs.), with 

 thin netted rinds, and a red or white flesh of high quality. 



Blenheim Orange (Fig. 76, page 216) is a red-fleshed 



