46 



JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTTTKE AXD COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ January 17, 1865. 



to keep up that attained, ajnd afford another rise of 5° by 

 1 P.M. The fire may then be made up, so tliat it will hot 

 increase the temperature, but allow of its sinking, which 

 it will not do for some hours, in consequence of the heat 

 radiated from the medium furnishing it; but towards night 

 the temperature will begin to fall, as it ought, the fire only 

 being used to prevent its sinking too low during the night. 

 A little practice will soon enable any one to understand and 

 manage this. These conditions of temperature are to be 

 maintained at all stages of the growth of the plants, except 

 ■when the trnit is ripening, when a higher temperature may 

 be given with more air, as heat with light and air hastens 

 ripening and heightens the flavour. 



It sometimes becomes necessary to give more heat than 

 above recommended in order to obtain fruit earlier, or by a 

 filed time. In this case the temperatures named may be 

 increased 5° throughout; but this should not take place xmtil 

 the ti-uit is set and swelling, for to force earlier will result in 

 weak growths, indifferent setting, and, of course, inferior 

 fruit. If a plant is forced into an e.oi-ly maturity it cannot 

 produce fruit equal to that obtained by a more natural 

 system. 



AiK. — I need scarcely say that air should be given on all 

 favourable occasions, and a little wOl always be beneficial, 

 even if a rather stronger fire be kept up to permit of its 

 being given. There is no better rule than to admit air as 

 soon as the thermometer indicates SO" — not too much all at 

 once, for that may cause a reduction in the temperature, 

 which never ought to take place — increasing it proportion- 

 ately with the increase of temperature, or reducing it as the 

 temperature declines. It should be given so that the tem- 

 perature may increase, at all events be maintained, and not 

 reduced by it, for that would be stimulating the plants one 

 hour and causing a stagnation the next. Whatever amount 

 of air is given, it should be reduced before the temperature 

 is much decreased, it being advisable to shut up with a 

 temperature at least 5° higher than when the lights were 

 opened, or at 85°. This is trapping the sunbeams, or ad- 

 mitting them by opening early, and closing early in the 

 afternoon in order to shut in as much of tlie sun heat as 

 practicable. So long as the iiroper degree of heat is main- 

 tained it is impossible to give Melons too much fresh air ; 

 but in admitting it care should be taken to avoid cold 

 draughts. 



MoiSTUEE is most important in Melon culture. If the 

 plants have too much they become gross, the fruit is watery 

 and insipid, and, if the atmosphere be surcharged with it 

 when the fruit is ripening, the latter is not only poor-fla- 

 vourtd but frequently cracks ; if, on the other hand, thet-e 

 ia a deficiency of moisture, the foliage is soon rendered a 

 suitable prey for thrips and red spider, the; fruit is small, 

 and the duration of the plant short. Either extreme should 

 therefore be guarded against. From the time of planting 

 to that of the flowers opening the soil should be kept moist ; 

 it should not be sodden with water nor the plants allowed to 

 flag for want of it. It sliould therefore be kept moist, or 

 neither wet nor dry, yet it should not be kept so by drib- 

 lets, but by copious waterings at intervals of once or twice 

 a-week, as the a.spect of the soil itself indicates. The soil 

 should likewise be moist when th? fru t is setting, only water 

 must then be given so as not to wet tlie surface until the 

 fruit is set. After this the soil should be kept moist, quite 

 as much so as for Cucumbers, in order that the fruit may 

 swell freely. This watering will usually be required about 

 twice a-week — from the t'me when the fruit fii-st fairly com- 

 mences swelling to that of its netting, though the fi-cquency 

 of watering depends on the growth of the plants and the 

 quantity of soil they prow in. When the borders are but 

 narrow and shallow it may bo necesBary to water more 

 frequently, and. inatea/I of using clear water, weak liquid 

 manure may be applied ; but unless given by a practised 

 hand it is best let alone, otherwise too strong a dose may 

 cause irretrievablo logs. Tliose not experienced in such 

 matters would do well to make their liqtiid manure by dis- 

 solving one ounce of Peruvian guano in a gallon of soft 

 water, and apply it at every alternate watering. A much 

 better plan than employing any liquid manure is to mulch 

 the surface of the borders, after the fruit is fairly set and 

 BwUing, with an inch or so of cowdung six months old, 

 with the short manure coming from an old Mushroom-bed, 



or in the absence of either of these with stable-manure. 

 With this on the borders, whenever water is given enough 

 of the nuti'itive constituents are washed down to the roots, 

 and the supply is not excessive because only .a small portion 

 of tho fertilising agents is washed into the soil at each 

 watering. When the fruit begins to net the watering should 

 be gi-adualiy reduced in about ten days to one half, after 

 which it will suffice if the soil be kept only just moist until 

 the fruit is ripe. All waterings, whether with water or liquid 

 manure, should be of the same temperature as that in which 

 the roots are situated. 



Atmospheric moisture is another important agent in 

 Melon cultm-e. It is maintained by sprinkling the walls, 

 paths, &c., and by having receptacles for water or gutters 

 on the heating surface. When there is a tank, some part 

 of which is open or communicating with the atmosphere 

 through openings that can be regulated at will, the guttered 

 pipes are not required ; but when these conveniences do not 

 exist, a row of guttered pipes along the front of Melon- 

 houses, or, in fact, all houses that are required to be kept 

 at a high temperature is beneficial, by maintaining a uni- 

 form degree of raoistiu-e. When there are such contrivances 

 the necessity of frequent syringing is to a great extent 

 obviated, and on dull days the moisture evaporated from 

 them is quite sutTicient without syringing ; also, when the 

 fruit is setting, during the early and late periods of the year, 

 and wiien the fruit lias advanced towards ripening. The 

 evaporating-pans or gutters may be allowed to become empty 

 when the fi'uit is ripening. In addition to the moisture 

 obtained by evaporation from the troughs, gutters, or 

 tanks, a gentle syringing of the plants, especially on the 

 underside of the leaves at the time of shutting up the house 

 or a short time afterwards, will do much towards checking 

 tho attacka of red spider and thripS; and is necessary to 

 keep the plants healthy. On fine mornings every available 

 surface may be sprinkled with water, and thus with the aid 

 of the other evaporating surfaces sufficient moisture will 

 be afforded the Melon in all its stages. No syringing over- 

 head takes place at the time of setting, nor when the fruit 

 is far advanced towards ripening. 



When there are no evaporating-gutters or troughs, the 

 syringe plays an important part in Melon culture in houses. 

 During bright weather the plants should be syringed at 

 shutting up, or not later than an hour afterwards, directing 

 the force of water as much against the under side of the 

 leaves as possible, and taking care to wet the stem for about 

 a foot from the soil as little as possible. On bright morn- 

 inn's syringing should be repeated in the same way before 

 9 A.M. ; but on dull days sprinkling tho paths, walls, &c., 

 will be sufficient, and in the afternoons of dull days when no 

 air or but little is given, a sprinkling of the paths and walls 

 will raise sufficient moisture without syringing the foliage. 

 This syringing must be kept up at all times, subject to the 

 conditions already mentioned, except when the blossoms are 

 setting, at which period sprinkling twice a-day without 

 syringing the foliage is desirable, and when tho fruit begins 

 to ripen, or after it becomes fully netted over, syringing 

 must be discontinued, and sprinkling also when the fruit 

 commences ripening. — G. Abbey. 



(To be contiuucd.) 



NEW FRFITS OF A^IEBICAN OEIGIN. 



Thk following extract from tho proceedings of the American 

 Institute Farmers' Club of December Gth !ast is of interest, 

 as relating to a variety of Pear which has already received 

 tho stamp of approval from nui'serymen in this country as 

 quite worthy of a place in a select catalogue of English 

 fruits : — 



" .') New Winter Pear. — Wm. S. Carpenter placed upon the 

 table specimens of a new winter Pear, sufRcient to give 

 every one present a practical test of its quality. It is in 

 colour yellow russet, in size and shape not unlike tho Seckle. 

 It is in good eating condition from this time until February, 

 according to the method that it is preserved. It is deli- 

 ciously sweet and melting to tlie taste, and it was pro- 

 nounced by a unanimous vote of the Club the best winter 

 Pear known. A bushel of this variety is now on exhibition 

 at the rooms of the Institute for the Greeley Prize of 



