322 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



initiated. Odour alone is a good test, easily patent to 

 everybody. When this is at the lull, the flavour, as 

 a rule, wiU he at its best. But so many Melons are 

 spoilt in the eating that these matters can hardly 

 have too much attention. The majority of ripe 

 Melons are improved by being kept from three to 

 six days in a dry room before being eaten. Some 

 sorts win keep much longer after cutting, but a 

 damp place is fatal to the flavour of Melons. 



Starting the Plants Afresh.. — So soon as the 

 fruit is cut, the dry regimen must once more 

 merge into the moist and close one. The plants 

 are overhauled and partially cut back, every 

 faulty shoot or leaf removed, and the whole vigor- 

 ously and frequently syringed overhead to prevent 

 spider and thrip, and aU the stimulating and 

 growing forces incident to the quick method 

 once more brought to bear on the plants. Within 

 a fortnight or three weeks at the most, the 

 plants are once more showing abundance of fruit, 

 a;nd these mostly set with a freedom and swell with a 

 rapidity exceeding that of the first crop. Herein 

 lies a danger that must be avoided by vigorous and 

 timely thinning. The first crop should seldom be 

 much or greatly exceeded, unless the plants have 

 ample root-room and top-space, and may for these 

 reasons be allowed to carry more fruit. Though not 

 so absolutely essential to success to have the whole 

 of the fruit on any given plant of one size — that 

 IS, as near abreast as may be — it is still important 

 for the second and all succeeding crops, as other- 

 wise, however promising a crop of five or six fruits 

 of unequal size may prove for a time, the prob- 

 ability is that as they near maturity aU will fail to 

 ripen perfectly, with the exception of one or two of 

 the largest. These break-downs, almost within sight 

 of the dessert-table, are very provoking, and may 

 readily be avoided by setting all the fruit intended 

 to be grown on any given plant, not only on the same 

 day, but the same hour, if possible. It is in thus 

 starting the full complement of fruit at once, 'and 

 rushing them through to the finish before starting 

 more, that is found the most vital difference be- 

 tween Melon and Cucumber-growing. In the latter 

 fresh fruit are being started and others cut daily. 

 In Melon-growing a full crop is started at once and 

 ;pushed through to the finish, to be succeeded by one 

 ■or more successional crops, either on the same or on 

 iresh plants. Occasionally a few later fruit may 

 ishow and swell in succession to the main crop, but 

 these are mere chanceliugs, and cannot be insured 

 by skill. 



Varieties for Express Culture. — As to 



■varieties specially adapted for express culture, we 



have found Dickson's Best of All, Victory of Bris- 

 tol, and Golden Perfection as good as any. But 

 any Melon of good constitution, moderate size, and 

 fertile habit, succeeds well under this mode of cul- 

 ture. As to size, such fine Melons as Queen Emma 

 and Victory of Bristol have reached weights ot 

 from five to six pounds under it. Weights of three 

 pounds are more useful and even more profitable. 

 Melons ought to be eaten up so soon as cut, and 

 very large fruits are almost as embarrassing as the 

 proverbial white elephant, and should not be 

 grown, as a rule, either under express or any other 

 method of culture. 



THE PALM JPAMILY. 



By William Hugh Gowek. 



Iriartea. — A small genus pf Palms, named in 

 honour of Juan Iriarte, a Spanish botanist. They 

 are remarkable in having the base of their trunks 

 elevated on numerous stout roots, which are diverging 

 and cylindrical, thus giving the tree the appearance 

 of being set upon stilts or props. These roots are 

 sufficiently high in some cases to allow a tall man 

 to walk under the base of the trunk. On account of 

 the asperities with which these roots are furnished 

 they are frequently cut into lengths by the natives, 

 and used by them as graters, and hence have obtained 

 the name of Hasp Palms. Iriartes are slow gjrowers 

 and somewhat difficult to cultivate. These plants 

 require to continually stand in water, which should 

 be about the same temperature as the house. 



I. exorrhiza— frequently at- 

 tains a lieight of sixty to 

 eighty feet ; stem straight 

 and cylindrical ; leaves 

 pinnate; the leaflets being 

 somewhat flabelliform. 

 Savannahs of the Orinoco. 

 Now known as Socratea 

 exorhiza 



I. ventricosa — on the Ama- 

 zon this grand Palm is 

 called ** Paxiiiha barri- 

 guda," in the Andes it is 

 known as "Tarapoto," 



and on the Eio Negro as 

 "Barrieou." Of this 

 species, Spruce says " this 

 is the noblest of the genus, 

 known from its congeners 

 by the fasiform swelling, 

 or belly, mid-way of its 

 trunk." It attains a 

 height of from sixty to a 

 hundred feet, the cone of 

 exserted roots varying 

 from five and a half to 

 twelve feet. Eio Negro 

 and Orinoco. 



Iriartella. — This plant has been separated from 

 the genus Iriartea on account of its slender stem and 

 dwarfer habit, and somewhat different arrangement 

 of its flowers. It is also peculiar in being " one of 

 the very few Palms that send out prostrate suckers 

 from the roots." Treatment same as Iriartea. 



I. setigera. — The stem of this plant attains a 

 height of from fifteen to twenty feet, although it 

 seldom exceeds an inch in diameter ; the leaves att 

 pinnate, with prsemose leaflets of a deep green. 

 From the stems of this Palm the Indians form the 



