THE gen:esee faemek. 



217 



l» i»way, but also prove beneficial as a manure. By 

 the middle of July grub worms will be harmless, 

 and this is the best time for transplanting late 

 cabbages." 



Mustard, Cress, and Eadishes, may still be 

 sown, and will do well on the north side of a 

 board fence. 



Melons should be thinned out to two or three 

 in each hill ; draw earth from time to time around 

 tJie hills and about the roots of the plants. As 

 soon as the plants have spread into branches, stop 

 them by pinching otF the top of the first runner 

 bud. This will strengthen the plants, and cause 

 them to fruit early. After which, keep the ground 

 clear fi-om weeds by frequent hoeing. If you wish 

 to save the seed, care must be taken not to plant 

 the different sorts near each other, or cucumbers, 

 squashes, and gourds. The impregnation of the 

 blossoms is an imperative process in melon-grow- 

 ing. The female flowers are known by the appear- 

 ance of the embryo fruit at their base. The best 

 situated of these should be selected, and, after 

 carefully divesting the male blossom of its corolla, 

 its t^rina sheuld be brought into contact with the 

 center of the female flower, during the heat of the 

 day, when the flowers are quite dry and the sun at 

 its greatest power. The operation should com- 

 mence when from six to ten female flowers are 

 found on the plant ; and when it is perceived that 

 four fruit is secured on each plant, which will be 

 known by the rapid swelling of the embryo fruit, 

 the whole of the blossoms, male and female, should 

 be cut off as they appear, that the strength of the 

 plant may be directed entirely to the formation of 

 the fruit. The production of unnecessary blossoms 

 weakens the plant the same as the production of 

 fruit. The shoots on which the fruit is set and 

 swelling should be pinched off three or four eyes 

 above the fruit. Stop all lateral shoots, from time 

 to time, to prevent confusion, as well as cut out 

 all coarse shoots which are not wanted. The 

 greatest care should be taken of the foliage, expos- 

 ing it as much as possible to the sun. Watering 

 is an important matter, both as regards the roots 

 and foliage, and should be applied very gently with 

 a syringe, more resembling a copious dew than a 

 shower from a watering pot. Where the melons 

 are grown on the surface of the soil, care should 

 be taken that a piece of tile, slate, or a shingle, be 

 placed under each melon as soon as it has began to 

 swell, to prevent its damping and rotting off; and 

 as the fruit increases in size, it may be elevated 

 above the leaves, that it may fully enjoy the light 

 and air. Until the full complement of fruit is 



fairly set and beginning to swell, the branches may 

 be kept thin and the plants not excited by liquid 

 manure ; but after that the plants may be allowed 

 greater latitude, and be more excited in their 

 growth. 



WORK m THE FLOWER GARDEN, &C., FOR JULY 



GEEEN-noTJSE plants will need daily care at this 

 time, and may be watered every evening in dry 

 weather. Geraniums, that have grown large and 

 unwieldly, may be pruned. Garden roses, having 

 done flowering for the season, may now be pruned. 

 Out out all old and exhausted wood, and shorten 

 such shoots as have flov ered, to a good, fresh, 

 strong bud. All wood that grows after this prun- 

 ing will ripen perfectly, and produce large flowers 

 the next season. The flower garden should be 

 kept neat and clean, and all weeds extirpated by 

 pulling by hand, and tall-growing plants and run- 

 ners neatly tied to stakes. Watering is always 

 beneficial in dry weather, if done in the evening, 

 and the shrubs and plants thoroughly drenched 

 about the roots. Carnations, pinks, and such plants 

 as are propagated by layers, should be layered thia 

 month, if new plants are desired. 



Many kinds of cuttings, as -geraniums, roses, and 

 exotic shrubs, may still be planted Tvith success. 



Such bulbous roots in pots, whose foliage has 

 withered, may be kept dry until the period of re- 

 germination ; others may be taken up as soon ms 

 ripe, and dried for autumn planting. 



Asters, balsams, &c., grown in frames, may now 

 be set out to fill up vacant places in the border, 

 where spring-flowering bulbs have gone out of 

 bloom. 



Dahlias require to be staked up and kept pruned 

 of all superfluous shoots. 



Hollyhocks are a beautiful ornament in a garden, 

 where care is taken in selecting the sorts and group- 

 ing them together. They are better to be kept 

 tied up to stout stakes and have a liberal watering, 

 as also should pansies. 



Herbaceous Plants. — Hovet's Magazine of 

 Horticulture speaks a good word for the too much 

 neglected herbaceous plants, many of the old favor- 

 ites of which it says are disappearing from out" 

 gardens, to make room for verbenas, scarlet gera- 

 niums, and other showy flowers. 



"Where are the stately foxgloves, with their tall 

 spikes of nodding bells, displaying their leopard- 

 like spotting, in which the bee 



" makes her sweet music ?" 



These are now rarely seen, though extremely 

 showy; with the improvement which has beeE 



