62 MELON CULTURE 



home market for the melons in order to avoid losses 

 in shipment, commission charges, etc. Winter- 

 grown melons must be regarded as a fancy product, 

 grown only for a fancy market and selling for a 

 fancy price. It requires a knowledge of the require- 

 ments of these special crops ; so much depends upon 

 the proper kind of soil, the amount and frequency 

 of watering, and how applied, the proper tempera- 

 ture both day and night, also ventilation and the 

 ability of the grower to cope with the different in- 

 sects and diseases which are commonly met with. 

 The striped cucumber beetle out-of-doors is not in 

 the same class with the Red Spider indoors after it 

 once gets a good start. 



To be more specific, then, as to requirements, I 

 quote from Bailey ■} " High temperature from the 

 start (8o° to 85° at midday, and 65"* to 70° at 

 night) ; the plants must never be checked, even from 

 the moment the seeds germinate, either by insects, 

 fungi, low temperature, or delay in 'handling;' 

 dryness at time of ripening; a soil containing plenty 

 of mineral elements, particularly, of course, potash 

 and phosphoric acid; polliniferous varieties; the se- 

 lection of varieties adapted to the purpose." 



If one can furnish all of these requirements, he 

 may succeed in forcing muskmelons. Watermelons 

 are seldom, if ever, grown in forcing houses. 



The Forcing House. — The house may be of any 

 length which can be properly heated, depending 

 upon the number of plants which it is desired to 

 raise. A house that is suitable for tomatoes or cu- 

 cumbers is good for melons. There should be plenty 

 of space between the benches and glass for train- 



1 "The Forcing Book." 



