352 VEGETABLE FORCING 
the soil. A high humidity is essential, except when the 
flowers are being pollenized and when the fruits are 
ripening. It is customary to sprinkle the walks two or 
three times a day in clear weather, and also to syringe 
or spray the plants with water when atmospheric condi- 
tions require such treatment. See notes on watering the 
cucumber, page 318. 
Temperature—The melon requires high and uniform 
temperatures, 70 to 75 degrees at night and 10 to 15 
degrees higher by day in clear weather. 
Training —Anyone who understands the pruning and 
training of cucumbers (page 324) should have no diffi- 
culty in performing these operations with melon plants. 
Though various systems are employed, probably the best 
for American greenhouses is the single stem. (See Figs. 
124 and 125.) That is, one stem is grown to the desired 
height—it may be erect—secured to a trellis, stake or 
string, or it may be trained over a trellis which runs 
parallel to the roof of the house. The fruits are borne 
on the laterals of the main stem, and the laterals are 
nipped just beyond the first leaf. A certain amount of 
thinning and pruning is necessary to remove surplus 
leaves and to prevent the growth of secondary branches. 
Some growers use divergent systems of training, as 
explained for cucumbers. 
Pollinating—The flowers of the muskmelon are 
moneecious. They require the same attention in pollinat- 
ing as does the cucumber, though this operation should 
be given closer attention. (See page 329.) A camel's hair 
brush may be employed, but a plan more certain of suc- 
cess is to collect the pollen in any convenient receptacle 
and then to bring the pollen grains into direct contact 
with the stigma of the pistillate flower. Another ap- 
proved plan for winter melons is to pluck a staminate 
flower, strip it of the corolla and bring the anthers into 
contact with the stigma of the flower to be pollenized. 
