110 



JOUEKAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 9, 18&C 



CULTIVATION OF THE MELON. 



(Continued from page 64.) 

 Of the appliances employed for growing Melons none are 

 in more general use than an ordinary frame on a dung-bed, 

 which is represented in fig. 2. • a Is a common frame 2 feet 



Kg. 2. 



high at back, 1 foot high in front, and 6 feet wide, placed on 

 the hotbed b, and resting on bricks at each corner, c c. 

 The dotted lines, d d, show how far the frame is to have 

 dung piled up against the sides to maintain the top heat 

 when the bed loses its heat considerably, or when a greater 

 depth of soil is placed on the bed. The dotted lines, e e, 

 drawn perpendicularly through the bed, show those portions 

 of the bed which are to be taken away when it becomes 

 necessary to line the bed from the bottom, to renew the 

 heat when declining ; the space between e e and the dotted 

 lines, //, being filled with dung prepared in the same way 

 as that for making the bed. The lining should not be 

 applied at front and back at one time, but in front first, 

 before the heat of the bed declines too much; the back 

 lining may follow the front in about ten days or a fortnight. 

 Linings to the bottom are only needed for early beds, and 

 not always even then in mild seasons, for the frame will sink 

 into the bed, and it will consequently be necessary to raise 

 the frame up at intervals of a fortnight or three weeks, so 

 as to keep the glass at a proper distance from the plants, or 

 1 foot above them. Raising the frame about the thickness 

 of a brick each time will be sufficient, and this, with the re- 

 moval of some of the spent lining, will leave a space by the 

 sides of the frame in which some fresh hot dung can be 

 placed, which will generally furnish sufficient heat without 

 having the bed to line from the bottom. If, however, the 

 heat is not maintained by top linings, the bed must be lined 

 from the bottom before it becomes so cold as to place the 

 well-being of the plants in jeopardy. 



soiling in a week or ten days, previously levelling it, and 

 adding more dung if necessary to bring the surface of the 

 dung to within 1 foot of the glass. The soil is then placed 

 under the centre of each light, so as to form a cone with a 

 flattened top, the latter being only an inch or two from the 

 glass. By the time the bed is earthed the dung will have- 

 settled, and when fully earthed i t will present the appear- 

 ance shown in the figure, o being the bed, c the soil, and! 

 d the open space for the development of the plants. 6 b, Are 

 spaces 2 feet 6 inches wide, in which hot dung is placed ; first 

 in front about ten days after planting the Melons in the 

 bed ; and, secondly, at the back about ten days afterwards. 

 The dung must at all times be kept higher than the pigeon- 

 holes, and the soil within the pit should be kept close to the- 

 sides of the frame, otherwise the steam of the dung of 

 the linings will pass into the pit and destroy the plants. 

 The linings will require renewing, and additions of fresh 

 dung to keep up the proper temperature according to circum- 

 stances. The linings should be brought up to the dotted 

 line, and if they are covered with wooden shutters the heat 

 is greater, and a cleaner appearance is given, e Is a spout 

 to carry oft the water, and // is the ground level. — G. Abbet, 

 (To be continued.} 



Fig. 3. 

 Probably the best mode of growing Melons by fermenting 

 materials is that of a brick-pit (fig. 3), the inner walls pigeon- 

 holed to admit the heat from the lining s, b b, to pass into 

 the bed a. The inside between the two inner walls is filled 

 up to the rafters in the first instance with hot dung, pre- 

 pared, sweetened, and well beaten down and trodden at the 

 Bides. The lights being put on, the bed will be ready for 



HAEDY BEDDING PLANTS with YAELEGATED 

 AND COLOURED FOLIAGE. 



In addition to Mr. Abbey's list, I would suggest : — 

 Filbert, Daek Coppee-leaved, which is very distinct, 

 dwarf-growing, and bears cutting-in well. 



Salix capbea vaeiegata.— With white, green, and light 

 brown leaves. Bears cutting-in well; strikes in a little 

 bottom heat in a fortnight, and so might be planted for a 

 line in a ribbon to be renewed every third year, or in most 

 soils cuttings may be planted where required. 



Both of the above would, in windy situations and in the 

 back beds, if allowed to remain, afford an ornamental shelter 

 of 18 inches to 2 feet or more in height. 



Beauble. — The Silver-leaved is very effective, but needs 

 attention to keep it neat. I have a large-leaved Golden- 

 variegated variety which is very striking. 



Tincas. — Besides the two named by Mr. Abbey, there is 

 the Golden-leaved, which if well established and cut down 

 early in the spring becomes very beautiful. I find the best 

 way to propagate the Vincas and Brambles is to insert in 

 the ground, in August and September, the ends of the young 

 shoots, simply pressing them 2 inches into the earth. 



There is also the fine showy Coltsfoot with a white-edged 

 leaf; but unless grown in pots sunk in the ground it is 

 troublesome. 



The common Rib Grass would be excellent when varie- 

 gated, and it is not rare to find it in the fields and by the 

 sides of roads with both white and golden variegation ; but 

 my plants with all my care have returned in a year or two 

 to their normal green. They also propagate badly. 



Of Box some of the variegated kinds would be very useful, 

 and nothing will bear clipping better. 

 Yaeiegated Hollies. — There are many very handsome 

 varieties ; and small plants, if nipped-in in summer 

 and constantly taken up and transplanted, become 

 very dwarf, and bear their pretty scarlet berries in 

 abundance. A fine collection of these Hollies was ex- 

 hibited at the Brussels Show and attracted great 

 attention. Probably, if grafted or budded on a dwarf 

 slow-growing kind, such as the Hedgehogs, they would 

 be much improved and produce berries earlier in the 

 season. 



I fancy the adornment of our grounds would be at 

 least more interesting, if these handsome hardy plants 

 received a share of that attention which is now almost 

 exclusively bestowed on summer bedding-out plants. 

 — W. Woolee. 



DESTROYING ANTS. 

 The following is related by M. Gamier, in a communi- 

 cation to the Central Society of Agriculture, at Brussels : — 

 A large colony of ants extending their walks over an area of 

 nine or ten yards, gave great trouble in the garden. After 



