THE FORCING GARDEN, 



7G7 



May, a SLiix?rabunclancc of water, either at their roots or lodged 

 in their hearts, will be very injurious to them. 



MELONS FOR LATE CROPS IN PITS HEATED BY FIRE-HEAT. 



The plants planted out in July will now have spread over 

 the pits, and will be considerably advanced in fruit. If the 

 weather be dull or wet, it will be necessary at the beginning, 

 if not at the middle of this month, to apply a slight fire-heat, 

 in order to forward the fruit, and more especially to dry up 

 damps to which these plants at this season are extremely 

 liable, and which is to them of that injurious nature, that if 

 not guarded against and repelled, will entirely destroy not only 

 the fruit but the plants also. 



The temperature in the pits, however, should be kept very 

 moderate at first, and gradually increased as the cold and the 

 season advance. If the temperature be kept during night 

 at 70°, and allowed to rise with sunshine to 80°, there will 

 be a chance of having tolerably handsome, but not well-flavored 

 fruit : the season for imparting flavor being over by the time 

 this fruit will be ripening. Water should be very sparingly 

 applied either to their roots or over their leaves; once in 

 eight or ten days will be sufficient, unless the temperature be 

 kept higher, which, in that case, they will require water more 

 frequently for the welfare of the plants, and to guard against 

 the red spider, which in such pits are apt to make their appear- 

 ance even at this late period of the season. 



The operation of pruning must be attended to, and no more 

 vines allowed to remain on the plants than may be sufficient to 

 nourish the fruit ; all dead or decaying leaves should be care- 

 fully removed, and all appearance of damp or mouldiness re- 

 moved. The fruit should be fully exposed to the sun by lay- 

 ing the leaves aside, which may overshadow them ; or, if they 

 be carefully lifted up on an inverted flower-pot, or any such 

 article, to within a few inches of the glass, they will enjoy a 

 greater share of its influence. Should the red spider make its 

 appearance, it will be much safer at this season to expel it by 

 sprinkhng a little flour of sulphur upon the flues when heated, 

 or by dusting it finely over the infected leaves, than l)y a too 

 abundant application of water. 



