FRUITS AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CHAPTER XXVII 



MELONS GENERAL CULTURE 



Planting— Setting the Fruit Watering— Feeding Gathering the 

 Fruit— Insects and Mildew — Varieties 



A LARGE body o( soil is not necessary tor producing a good crop of Melons. 

 It may also vary according to the season. In the Winter the roots 

 siiould be confined to a rather small space. At this season much 

 skill, care and close watchfulness are required for satisfactory results, for the 

 Melon is most exacting at this time. 



While ripe Melons may be had through the Winter, yet I do not deny that 

 it is difficult occasionally to secure the desired results. Having grown Melons 

 now for several years all through the Winter, I have observed various things 

 about them worthy of mention. When the plants are in bloom and ready for 

 fertilizing, (all blossoms must be hand-fertilized carefully during the 

 Winter months,) and if there is clear weather while the fruit is setting, they will 

 set more freely and start to grow better in every respect. This also holds good 

 during Summer cultivation, although it is decidedly more noticeable in the 

 Winter. Therefore take advantage of clear, bright weather to set the fruit. 

 I have also had better success by using boxes for Winter, three and one-half 

 feet long, twelve inches wide and six inches deep, planting three vines in each 

 box and leaving space for top dressing. If the plants are out of five-inch pots 

 place them at equal distances, then add enough soil to form three mounds, or suffir 

 cient to cover the balls, firming the soil well around the roots, and as the roots 

 penetrate through add more soil, except when setting the fruit, at which time 

 no feeding or top dressing should be done. 



There is yet another thing to be said in favor of boxes. As Melons must 

 be kept near 70° at night, with 80° by day or 85 with sun, the bench tile will 

 at times get rather warm, especially in very cold weather, but the roots in the 

 boxes will not feel the extremely dry heat. However this may be, I find the 

 boxes a decided improvement. In every other respect the treatment is the same 

 as for the Summer. Guard against too much moisture around the neck of the 

 plants, especially in a spell of dark, cloudy weather, or they will damp off. Some 

 growers call this condition a disease, which it probably is, and brought on by 



