THE MELON. 



321 



size, it becomes necessary to support it, not 

 only because its weight might cause the 

 slender vine to break off, but when the ripen- 



Fig. 1102.— Melon - British Queen. (From Cardiff Castle.) 



ing stage is reached the fruit would part from 

 the stem, and fall on the ground and be spoiled. 

 The old plan was to have small boards made of 

 J-inch deal, 9 inches square, provided with 

 holes at the four corners, by means of which 

 they may be fastened to the trellis with fine 

 copper wire, so as to support the fruit. The 

 most up-to-date method of supporting the fruits 

 of plants trained upon trellises is by means of 

 Meredith's Melon nets, shown in fig. 1101. No 

 better plan has yet been devised than this; all 

 accumulation of moisture at the base of each 

 fruit is thereby prevented. The fruit must not 

 be allowed to remain on the plant until it parts 

 from the stem, but it ought to be cut when it 

 cracks round the stem, and as soon as it gives 

 off that agreeable perfume so much prized by 

 those who are fond of the fruit. The flavour of 

 most of the varieties is improved if the fruit 

 is laid on the shelves of an airy fruit-room a 

 week before using it. 



Eed spider is certainly the most injurious 

 pest that attacks the Melon. Precaution should 

 be taken to thoroughly cleanse the house before- 

 hand by washing all the woodwork with strong 

 soft soap and water, and syringing into the 

 crevices — which form retreats for these pests 

 — a strong paraffin mixture, also painting the 

 woodwork with it, and lime washing the walls. 

 Another precaution is to rear the seedlings 

 where spider does not exist, as after it is 

 established no amount of syringing will eradi- 



VOL. II. 



cate it. Green-fly often attacks Melons, cover- 

 ing thickly the under sides of the young leaves. 

 Fumigating with XL-ALL is not only safe but 

 effectual; tobacco smoke will destroy the in- 

 sect, but the tender leaves of Melons are easily 

 injured, so that great caution is necessary. 



Varieties. — These may be arranged under 

 three heads — Scarlet, White, and Green Fleshed. 

 The varieties are exceedingly numerous, as it 

 may easily be supposed must be the case in a 

 tribe of plants propagated by seeds, and readily 

 fertilized both naturally and artificially; and 

 new ones are being continually produced. 

 Many of these are submitted to the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, by whom those of suffi- 

 cient merit are awarded certificates. These 

 come into commerce subsequently, so that in 

 a few years the old sorts become supplanted 

 by new. 



Scarlet-fleshed Varieties. 



Blenheim Orange. — Main crop, fruit large, flavour good. 



Eureka. — Medium size, similar to Hero of Lockinge in 

 appearance. 



Frogmore Orange. — Robust constitution, heavy cropper, 

 flavour extra. 



Invincible. — Flesh thick, high-class flavour, sets freely. 



Fig. 1103.— Melon— Emerald Green. (From Cardiff Castle. | 



Sutton's Scarlet. — Solid fruit, extra fine in appearance 

 and quality. 



Triumph. — Large, heavy cropper, rather late in ripen- 

 ing. 



White-fleshed Varieties. 



Golden Orange. — One of the best; fruit medium in size, 

 a good cropper, best in mid-season. 



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