354 VEGETABLE FORCING 
One male flower will serve to fertilize two or three 
female flowers, but since the male flowers are much more 
numerous, there is no need of economy in the use of the 
pollen. Both flowers should be fully expanded when this 
work is undertaken. A bright, sunny day is preferable, 
and, as previously stated, the humidity of the house 
should be comparatively low. 
It is highly important to defer pollinating until four 
or five or perhaps more female flowers are ready to re- 
ceive the pollen. If only one or two flowers are pol- 
linated and no others have attention for 10 days or a 
week later, the first fruits will develop rapidly and those 
which follow will be small and of poor quality. If all 
the fruits on a given plant set at practically the same 
time there will be uniform development and no one 
specimen will be nourished more than another. When 
the melons attain considerable size they should be sup- 
ported by a string net. Raffia is sometimes used to tie 
up the fruit, but nets are much more reliable. 
Ventilation—See notes on the ventilation of cucumber 
houses. Even greater care should be exercised in ven- 
tilating houses in which melons are being forced. 
Insect enemies.—The red spider, green aphis, white 
fly, striped cucumber beetle, thrips and mealy bug are 
the most destructive pests. See notes on cucumber 
pests, page 337. 
Diseases.—See diseases of cucumber, page 338. Pow- 
dery mildew and anthracnose are among the most 
serious troubles. 
Yields and size of fruit—Two good melons on a plant 
at midwinter is a satisfactory average. Some plants may 
have four or five and others none. An average of four or 
five in the spring is an excellent crop. The winter 
melons may not average in weight more than two 
pounds. An average of four or five pounds to the fruit 
is very good for the spring crop. Six and seven-pound 
