MELONS 31 



pots without disturbing the roots and plant firmly. Practically 

 all fruiting plants like a firm soil. A very suitable distance 

 from plant to plant is 4 feet much better than being nearer, 

 yet plenty wide enough to afford each plant ample room for 

 development if grown on the partly restricted system such as 

 we describe, and which allows for an equal distribution of fruits. 



The temperature of the early melon house must be maintained 

 at 60, but the atmosphere must not be unduly saturated as in 

 the cucumber houses. Indeed, the reverse is advisable, for 

 though the plants must be systematically syringed to keep 

 the red spider in check, the drier the atmosphere, short of 

 aridity, the better. Air must be manipulated to draw off the 

 superfluous moisture. 



It is the custom of many good growers to "nip" the young 

 plants even before they put out more than a pair of leaves, while 

 other equally good growers stop their plants at the fourth leaf. 

 We have tried both ways with equally good results, but we 

 are dead against allowing the plants to make a longer growth 

 before stopping them. We do not want a " strawy " vine, 

 for this cannot make for strength, so the nearer the roots that we 

 can encourage the lateral growths the better it is for the plants. 



How many fruits per plant ? Well, we cannot encourage the 

 fecundity of the cucumber in our melon plants, because the 

 fruits make greater demands upon them and they hang to ripen, 

 which is a terribly exhausting process for the plants. To 

 secure quite a limited number it is necessary to conserve the 

 strength of the plant by any and every means, cutting away 

 any weak growths and leaving only the strongest. The first 

 fruits to set are not necessarily retained, but when half a dozen 

 on a plant, evenly distributed, are set, then those are secured, 

 and others, either more forward or backward, are taken off. 

 After this, we keep stopping further growth beyond what is 

 necessary for the well-being of the plant, thus throwing back 

 to the roots all surplus energy, to be by them thrown up into 

 the swelling fruit. 



The advantage of securing a full crop of equally developed 

 fruits is that they may ripen together with the plant, and being 

 cut within a day or two, the old plant may be taken out, new soil 



