1024 



Gardening for Amateurs 



month in which to sow the first seeds, and 

 a succession of fruits may be had by con- 

 tinuing to sow at intervals of about three 

 weeks. 



Summer Treatment. Keep the soil moist 

 and syringe the plants freely on bright 

 days. Open the ventilators when the ther- 

 mometer registers 70 degrees, gradually ad- 

 mitting air more freely as the day advances. 



which will bear male and female flowers. 

 If four or five female flowers do not open 

 at about the same time on the first lot of 

 side shoots they in turn must be stopped, 

 but as a rule this is riot necessary. How- 

 ever, unless the female flowers are fer- 

 tilised on the same day or on the same two 

 days, the earliest fruits will develop rapidly 

 and the others will be poor. One can- 



Melon Hero of Lockinge. 



and close them early in the afternoon. The 

 Melon enjoys warmth and moisture, and 

 after the house is closed on a sunny after- 

 noon the thermometer may register 80 or 

 90 degrees without harm. As the plants 

 progress the roots wili fill the mounds, and 

 more soil must be added at intervals of a 

 week or two. If they are grown in a glass- 

 house a trellis placed about 18 inches below 

 the roof is provided upon which to train 

 the growths. The point of the plant is 

 pinched out when it has grown some 12 or 

 15 inches high. This has the effect of 

 inducing the formation of side shoots, 



not expect more than four fruits to a plant 

 if they are to be of fair size and to ripen 

 properly. 



Securing a Crop. The female flower is 

 distinguished by the possession of an em- 

 bryo fruit below the petals ; the simplest 

 way to effect fertilisation is to pluck a male 

 bloom, pull off its petals, and place it so 

 that the pollen comes in contact with the 

 stigma. While the plants are in bloom the 

 house ought to be kept dry, and rather more 

 air than usual given. When the fruits are 

 " set " they will increase in size rapidly. It 

 is advisable to fertilise all the flowers that 



