G82 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Feb. 



the inclemency of the weather, will come into fruit before there 

 be sufficient sun to give them a pro{>er flavor. No fruit that 

 we cultivate requires more of the influence of that soul of ve- 

 getable life than the melon. A bed or two, however, in large 

 families, may be brought in sooner, but their flavor will not 

 be so fine as those which are ripened during July and August. 

 Such sorts only should be sown for the earliest crops as will 

 require less time to come to ]x^rfection ; and of these, the early 

 Canteloupes are to be preferred. The directions hitherto giveji, 

 as regard the sowing, potting-off", and ridging out of cucum- 

 bers, are also applicable to melons ; with this diflerence only, 

 that beds for the latter fruits should be built a foot at least 

 higher, and a brisker heat kept up to them during their whole 

 culture, and the mould in which they are grown should be 

 much stronger than for cucumbers, and as it is added to their 

 roots, it should be firmly trodden, so as to be as solid a? pos- 

 sible ; but care must be taken in doing this, that their roots 

 be neither bruised nor broken in the process. When melons 

 begin to show fruit, great attention should be paid to them, 

 that the office of impregnation be not neglected; for although 

 cucumbers will sometimps, even at this early period of the 

 season, come to tolerable perfection without this assistance, 

 and often after^^'ards, melons will not set freely at any period 

 without it; and should they occasionally set and swell to an 

 ordinary size, they never will accjuire that beauty nor flavor 

 which they would if impregnated; they will also often go oft 

 when half grown, and will always be deformed and without 

 flavor, 



FORCING STRAWBERRIES. 



Successional crops of strawberries should be brouglit Into 

 the forcing department, both at the beginning and also at the 

 end of the month. Where many pots are to be forced, and 

 wdiere a constant supply is wanted, attention should be paid to 

 such as were taken in last month, and as they advance, let them 

 be abundantly supplied with air and water ; both of which are 

 essentially necessary to them in every stage of their growth. 



