192 GAKDEN PLANTS. PART II. 



to be produced as near as possible to the collar of the root ; 

 secondly, of arresting the growth of the stem beyond the Melons 

 so soon as they begin to swell, and thus preventing the sap from 

 being conveyed away from the fruit. The mode of proceeding is 

 this : Pinch off the central shoot of the young'plant beyond the 

 four first leaves so soon as they are formed. This will cause it 

 to send out two lateral shoots. When these lateral shoots are 

 about foui* inches long, pinch them in the same manner, and in 

 a few days they also will put forth two side shoots each. This 

 will give the plant four branches, which, pinched again when 

 they have attained sufficient length, will give eight good shoots, 

 which will be enough. 



" Each shoot giving one or two fruits, about a dozen may be 

 counted upon in all. These should be let grow just long enough, 

 till it can be decided which are the best to be preserved ; and 

 then a severe pruning should be made so as to leave the plant 

 on an average two branches, each bearing a fine fruit."* 



Another eminent^ French writer states that the secondary 

 branches commonly produce male, or sterile flowers, and the 

 tertiary almost invariably female, or fertile flowers. 



He adds also: "The following method is a more simple one, 

 and one likewise by which it is said better results are obtained. 

 Pinch off the shoot above the second leaf as soon as the seedling 

 has formed it. Leave the two shoots which will then be formed 

 till they have at least six leaves, and then stop them once for all 

 above th^e fifth, sixth, or even seventh eye, and then let grow 

 freely all the shoots that after that are produced. These bear 

 fruit as soon as those that have been more frequently stopped, 

 the plants are more vigorous, and the Melons better nourished. 



" As in the former method, when good fruits are set, pinch the 

 shoot to one eye above each fruit which the plant is allowed to 

 bear, and nip off all other fruits that are there, or may after- 

 wards be formed. The young fruits thus plucked off may be 

 preserved like Gherkins, or cooked, when they will be found 

 exceedingly delicate, treated in the same manner as Cucumbers 

 or Squashes."! 



The Melon in the earlier stage of its growth is, like the 

 Cucumber and Squash, very subject to the depredations of a small 



* ' Le Jardinier de Tout le Monde,' p. 215. 

 t * Le Bon Jardinier,' pour 1866, p. 518. 



