1026 



Gardening for Amateurs 



them when they have formed about five 

 leaves. Other growths will develop, and 

 they, too, must be " stopped " as soon as 

 one or two leaves have formed. The chief 

 necessity is not to allow the trellis to become 

 crowded with useless stems and leaves. 

 As soon as the fruits have reached full size 

 and commence to change colour, keep the 

 atmosphere of the house much drier, the 

 soil moderately dry, and give more air, 

 without, however, unduly lowering the 

 temperature. If these conditions are not 

 observed the Melons are likely to crack. 

 The fruits need some kind of support ; nets 

 are often used, or a still simpler plan is to 



Showing how side shoots form when the 

 top of the Melon plant is pinched off. 



attach several pieces of string to the trellis 

 and pass them under the fruits so as to 

 hold them up. 



In moistening the Melon bed, take care 

 that the water does not touch the base of 

 the stem, for it is at this point that the 

 disease known as canker attacks the plant 

 and often causes its collapse. Should this 

 part of the stem turn black and become 

 soft, scrape off the diseased portion, fill it 

 with cement, and sprinkle quicklime round 

 about it and upon it. Melons may be grown 

 in large flower-pots, those of 12 inches 

 diameter being most suitable ; and if an 

 early crop is wanted, say from a sowing in 



February, pots are generally preferred, but 

 for the summer crops it is better to grow 

 the plants in a bed of soil. 



There are numerous varieties of Melons, 

 of which the following form a reliable 

 selection : Scarlet flesh Frogmore Scarlet 

 and Blenheim Orange. White flesh Hero 

 of Lockinge, Eminence and Royal Favour- 

 ite. Green flesh Royal Jubilee, Windsor 

 Castle, Victory of Bath and Dickson's 

 Favourite. Almost every seed merchant 

 has his own special varieties. 



Melons in a Frame. The general details 

 of treatment described above for the cul- 

 tivation of Melons in a heated glasshouse 

 apply also to those grown in a frame ; but 

 owing to the absence of fire heat it becomes 

 necessary to give air less freely, especially 

 in spring, and to close the frame early in 

 the afternoon, so as to take advantage of 

 the sun heat, which will then keep the 

 plants warm throughout the night. Three 

 good varieties for cultivation in a frame are 

 Hero of Lockinge (white flesh), The Peer 

 (green), and Blenheim Orange (scarlet). 



It is not advisable to sow Melons for 

 cultivation in a frame before the middle 

 of April. When the fruits begin to make 

 progress it is wise to place an inverted flower- 

 pot under each one to protect them from 

 slugs and to expose them to the light. 



Peach and Nectarine. Much of the 

 information given in the notes dealing with 

 the Peach and Nectarine out of doors holds 

 good in connection with their cultivation 

 under glass. A well-drained border, com- 

 posed of some 2 or 2|>feet depth of chopped 

 turf with which lime rubble, -inch bones, 

 and well-decayed manure are mixed is 

 essential ; 1 bushel of manure, 1 peck of 

 lime rubble, and 1 pint of bones are suffi- 

 cient for each tree, and they must be well 

 mixed with the soil. It is a good plan to 

 make the border 4 feet wide only at first 

 and to add to its width in later years as 

 becomes necessary. Planting is preferably 

 carried out in autumn, though trees may be 

 put in any time between October and the 

 end of February. The uppermost roots 

 ought not to be deeper than about 2 or 3 

 inches, and the soil must be made firm. 



Probably the three-quarter span-roofed 

 glasshouse is the best type, for in this case 





