ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GARDENING. 
afterwards. Protect with hand-light until end of June. Sow seeds 
in light soil in temp. 55° in April. Japanese climbing cucumber re- 
quires to have its shoots trained up pea sticks. 
CULTURE OF MELONS: Compost, three parts good turfy loam, one 
part decayed manure. Position, beds in greenhouses, pits, or frames, 
with shoots trained to roof or along surface of ground. Plant, March, 
April, or May. Sow seeds singly in 2in. pits in temp. 75° in Feb. or 
arch. Pinch out point of main shoot when 6 in. long, also of lateral 
shoots when 1 ft. long, & further shoots at the first joint beyond the 
young swelling fruit. Fertilise all the female blooms about 12 a.m. 
as directed for cucumbers. Allow one fruit to each shoot, removing 
any others gradually. Prune away any weak shoots not showing fruit. 
Water moderately at first, freely afterwards, less when fruit changes 
April or May. Sow seeds singly in 2in. pots in temp. 75° in Feb. or 
shoots when 1ft. long, & further shoots at the first joint beyond the 
colour. Syringe twice daily until fruit begins to ripen, then cease. 
Shade from hot sun. Apply liquid manure when fruit begins to swell. 
Temp., March to time fruit is ripe, 75° to 85°. Ventilate when temp. 
reaches 85°, close when it falls below this. 
Userut Dara: Longevity of Seeds — Cucumber, 10 years; gher- 
kin, 6 years; melon, 6 years. Germinating period—6 to 10 days. 
Melons usually ripen about 120 to 140 days after sowing seeds. Artifi- 
cial manures for melons & cucumbers: 1 part nitrate of potash, 1 part 
dried blood, 2 parts superphosphate, & 4 part sulphate of iron. Dose, 
3 0z. per square eal once a week. 
SPECIES OULTIVATED: C. Melo (Melon), intro. 1570; sativus (Cucumber), intro. 
1573. Natives of Tropics, 
Cucurbita (Gourd; Pumpkin; Squash; Vegetable Marrow).— 
Ord. Cucurbitacew. Half-hardy trailing annual edible or orn. fruited 
plants. First introduced 1570, Flowers, yellow, male & female dis- 
tinct. Fruit globular, oval, or oblong. 
CULTURE OF MARROWS AND PUMPKINS: Soil, ordinary, rich. 
Position, beds in frames, on heaps of decayed manure or refuse, or on 
banks, the shoots running down the slope, or, as in beds in open garden 
formed by digging out soil 15 in. deep, filling holes with heated manure 
and covering this with soil. Sow seeds in a temp. of 55° in April, or 
where the plants are intended to grow in May. Plant, May, under 
hand-light, or in June without protection. Pinch out points of main 
shoots when 18in. long; no pinching required afterwards. Fertilise 
first female blooms; not later ones. Water freely in dry weather. 
Apply liquid manure frequently after fruit is set. Fruit for preservin 
should be cut when yellow & then hung up in a dry room till wante 
for use. Young shoots of marrows and gourds may be used as a 
substitute for spinach. 
CULTURE OF GOURDS: Soil, rich, ordinary, Position, beds at 
base of low, sunny fences or walls, or on the summit of banks, shoots 
rowing at will up & over the former or down the latter; sunny. Plant, 
une. Water freely indry weather. Apply liquid manure occasionally 
when plants are laden with fruit. Gather fruit when yellow, & hang 
it up till wanted for use in dry room. No pinching of shoots required. 
Propagate by seeds sown jin. deep in light soil in temp. 55° to 65° 
in Aprils or where plants are to grow in May & June. 
SPECIES OULTIVATED: O. maxima (Pumpkin), Trop. Asia; Pepo (Gourd), 
Trop. Africa; Pepo ovifera (Vegetable Marrow). Numerous varieties, for which see 
trade lista. 
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