CALENDAR. 283 



Strawherries. — Immediately the fruit is all picked from the 

 earliest plants, remove them into cold pits to he hardened 

 properly before exposure. Continue to put former directions 

 in force in the case of those swelling their fruit, and in bloom, 

 as well as in the case of those ripening their crop. Put the 

 remainder of the stock of plants into cold frames, and into 

 such structures as cold pits and late peach-houses, so as to 

 keep up the supply of fruit till the earliest in the open ground 

 ripen. 



Melons. — Carefully impregnate the fruit-blossoms about the 

 middle of fine days, and stop the fruit-bearing growths one 

 joint beyond the fruit. Till a full crop be set keep the air 

 drier, give more air, and less water at the root. After a 

 sufficient number of fruit are set and begun to swell, give a 

 heavy root-watering and increase the air moisture again ; and 

 unless where there are good melon-pits with the plants trained 

 to trellises, do not syringe overhead. "With superior appli- 

 ances the syringe may be used on fine afternoons, but not till 

 after the fruit are as large as hens' eggs. Eange the tempera- 

 ture from 70° to 76° at night. Plant out succession crops, and 

 sow approved sorts for later crops. 



Cucumbers. — Increase the temperature to 75° on mild 

 nights when sun-heat can be taken advantage of in the after- 

 noon. The early-planted plants wUl now be bearing freely. 

 Do not allow them to bear too many at a time, or some of the 

 freer sorts, such as Volunteer and Sion House, will exhaust 

 themselves. The disposition to ramble and grow will decrease 

 as they come in a full-bearing state. Mulch them with rotten 

 manure, and maintain a moist atmosphere ; and, above all, see 

 that they do not suffer for lack of water, if in shallow borders 

 with hot-water pipes under them. Plant out later-raised 

 plants as soon as they are established in 5-inch pots, and train 

 as described. Sow for succession in later crops. 



