326 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



Culture. 



5 feet in length. During the sunless 

 season of 1903, though planted in the 

 same spot, the Lagenarias refused to 

 grow, but the Malabar Gourd did so 

 well as to make up for the failure of 

 other kinds. 



As with all annuals much de- 

 pends upon the early stages 

 of growth, and without this first success 

 disappointment will ensue. Seeds should 

 be sown singly in thumb pots about the 

 second week in April, and germinate 

 so quickly in gentle heat that the seed- 

 lings are ready for afirst potting in eight 

 or ten days. Care is needed at this stage 

 to prevent "drawing-up." This shift 

 from the seed-pots should be into 5 -inch 

 pots, using light soil ; for the smaller 

 kinds one potting is enough, but the 

 larger varieties are better for a second 

 potting early in May. When growth re- 

 commences the plants should be gradu- 

 ally hardened oft by placing them in a 

 cooler house, or in a cold frame where 

 the lights can be removed in the day 

 time and air allowed at night. Sotre 

 the plants will grow away strongly wn" 

 planted out. Two pests frequently cause 

 trouble at this stage— mildew,and green- 

 fly. The last is easily kept down by 

 occasional fumigating; mildew must be 

 watched and at once destroyed with 

 sulphur or some other fungicide; when 

 only a few plants are attacked they should 

 be isolated or thrown away. The time 

 of planting will depend upon the season. 

 Should the weather be warm the last 

 week in May is a good time, but if cold 

 winds prevail it is better to wait for a 

 week or ten days than risk a check. 

 When the plants grow well from the 



start there is little danger of failure. As 

 with other plants of rapid growth, rich 

 soil is necessary, and if at all heavy, 

 each plant should have enough rich light 

 soil dug in to give it a good start. After 

 culture depends in a measure upon the 

 structure which is to carry the Gourds. 

 If on a pergola, the object will be to get 

 strong shoots over the top as quickly as 

 possible, and to do this the laterals must 

 be thinned and the leading shoots care- 

 fully tied. On a pergola also it is well 

 not to allow fruit within 3 feet of the 

 ground, and above this the laterals may 

 be stopped to bear fruit at any convenient 

 height. Upon poles, the laterals must 

 be stopped as soon as the fruits form, 

 the object being to get the Gourds on 

 short shoots as near the pole as possible; 

 the leading shoot must also be stopped 

 on reaching the top of the pole, too 

 much foliage giving a heavy look and 

 hiding the fruit. In the early stages 

 plenty of water is needed, and later, 

 when thefruits are formed in July , liquid 

 anure helps to swell them. Care is 

 ded in thinningfruitupon the poles, 

 it is better to have a few good fruits 

 ced than a large number that are 

 crowdedand poor. Onapergolaitisless 

 difficult to place the fruit because the 

 shoots can be trained in any way that 

 seems best, but here, too, a well-spaced 

 crop is of better effect and runs less risk 

 from storms than an overcrowded pro- 

 fusion of leaves and fruit. If more con- 

 venient the seeds may be sown where 

 they are to grow, but a fine seed-bed is 

 necessary, and they should be sown be- 

 fore the end of the third week in May. 

 Strong plants may be had in this way, 



