CULTIVATION OF FRUIT 319 



plants may be fruited at three feet from the bed. The best method of 

 culture is unquestionably to run the growth at the start in a single 

 cordon, then stop at, say, two and a half to three feet from the base. 

 The plants will then throw out side or lateral growths, and show both 

 male and female flowers. Both are needed, as, unlike Cucumbers, 

 Melons do not set unless fertilised, and the grower cannot depend on 

 insect agency to perform the work. Pinch out the points of the side 

 shoots when they are from fifteen inches to twenty-one inches in 

 length. By stopping the vigour of the plant is thrown into the fruit. 

 The flowers will now open and require setting, as it is well to secure the 

 first fruits that show ; delay means several weeks, as another set must 

 be secured from later growth. In the case of Melons, set the flowers at 

 one time, or within a few days, otherwise the first fruits will monopolise 

 the sap and the later ones refuse to swell. Three or four flowers 

 should at least be set if that number of fruits be required, and that is 

 a fair quantity for plants with limited top growth. The way to set 

 is as follows : The male flowers are soon distinguished from the 

 female, which have small Melon-like formations at base with the 

 flowers attached, whereas the male is a simple open flower with merely 

 a stalk. The male flower must be taken from the plant with, say, half 

 an inch of the stalk, and gently divested of the corolla or the yellow 

 part quite close to the green portion. The remaining portion will 

 be found covered with pollen, or a fine powder, and this part is gently 

 pressed inside the female flower. It remains there, the latter closes, 

 and in two or three days begins to swell freely. Of course the plants 

 must not be syringed overhead when in flower, and a little more ven- 

 tilation will be beneficial. From this day feeding may commence, 

 either with liquid manure or with fertilisers. Top dressing with loam 

 to which bone-meal or fertilisers have been added will assist growth. 

 Go over the plants every week, cutting out useless side growths to 

 prevent crowding, and in all cases allow growth to proceed from be- 

 yond the fruits. Many crops have been lost by close stopping,, 

 practised to prevent growth beyond the fruit, but this interferes with 

 its proper development. 



Syringing and watering are important details from the start until 

 flowering time ; it is well to syringe early in the day and when closing 

 the house. Damp the house down freely at other times when the 

 weather is bright. Little water is needed at first until the fruits have 

 set, then give more and syringe freely until ripening commences. 

 More air and less moisture will be needful to secure full flavour. In 

 a house a liberal 



Temperature must be maintained. At planting, say, in January, 

 65 degrees at night or 60 degrees in any cold weather will suffice, 

 with a rise of 10 degrees during the day ; it is better to promote free 

 growth during daylight than risk over-heating during cold nights. 

 To save hard firing cover the glass with mats or canvas, and stronger- 

 growth results. When the fruits have set a few degrees higher tem- 

 perature will be beneficial, but careful ventilation is more important. 

 On some cold days it will be impossible to ventilate freely, but by 



