472 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



is the most favourable season. Strong plants being put out at that 

 date will finish their fruits in October, but, of course, with frame 

 culture only one crop can be attempted. Sow the seed early in April, 

 plant as soon as four leaves have been made, and grow on, care being 

 taken to ventilate carefully, as with frame culture every bit of warmth 

 from sun heat is beneficial. 



Grown thus bottom heat is beneficial, as the plants receive a dis- 

 tinct start early in the year; it is less important later on, but in the 

 autumn it is again useful in finishing up a late crop. A small pit, or a 

 span or lean-to house, is preferable to a larger structure, as atmospheric 

 moisture is better maintained. Excellent crops may be secured in a 

 pit with 8 feet to n feet run of rafter, or even less, as the plants 

 may be fruited at 3 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, 2 J to 3 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 15 inches 

 to 21 inches in length. By this 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 ventilation 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 beyond 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 



