508 Description of Stoves for the growth of Melons, fyc. 



early, the first crop is gathered by the end of June, at which 

 time young plants being ready to replace them, a second 

 crop is obtained on the wires before the end of the year. 

 Fresh earth is requisite for the second crop. It is necessary 

 at all times to water the Melons in the border daily ; in 

 the pit watering is discontinued during the time the fruit is 

 setting, but after that period, plenty of bottom watering is 

 supplied. 



The Cucumbers are kept in bearing from the month of 

 February, when they begin to produce, to the January fol- 

 lowing, when new plants are introduced. 



The essential point to attend to in this practice, is the 

 keeping up constant humidity, with proper heat in the stoves. 

 The addition of a boiler over the fire place, from which steam 

 might be conveyed in pipes into the stoves, would be an im- 

 provement. The plants are syringed night and morning; 

 the floors of the stoves are then also plentifully watered, and 

 water is likewise at the same time poured upon the hollows 

 over the flues, and into the sand on the tops of the flues, the 

 plugs being removed; thus keeping down the Red Spider and 

 Thrips. The Cucumbers require more steaming than the 

 Melons. The holes in the cavities under the borders are 

 stopped in the day time, to confine the heat below the 

 borders. 



After the Cucumbers have been planted, they are earthed 

 up ; the depth of the border is increased for this purpose, 

 by setting bricks on edge, on the curbs of the border. This 

 increase of the mould enables the plants to put forth fresh 

 roots from the covered part of the stems, which greatly in- 

 vigorates them. 



