CULTURE OF THE MELON. 



489 



taken that this mould be of the proper temperature before the young plants 

 are introduced, which is to take place when they have made a few rough 

 leaves. As the roots extend, more soil should be added, of a gradually 

 • stronger nature ; and ultimately the roots should have a depth of about 

 fifteen inches of such soil. The soil should never be introduced in a cold 

 state ; and if there be no means for previously bringing it to the tempera- 

 ture of at least 70", it should be put into the frame in small quantities. 

 When water is required, it should never be much below the above-men- 

 tioned temperature, nor should it exceed 78°. It should not be applied 

 when the air of the frame is at a high temperature from sun-heat. Shading 

 is necessary immediately after watering, when the sun's rays have any great 

 degree of power : unless this precaution is attended to, scorching will be 

 induced, and the red spider will be likely to attack the foliage. With 

 regard to pruning and training the runners or vines of melon plants, it is 

 necessary that a sufficient number of these for filling the frame should be 

 made to ramify as close to the base of the main stem as can be conveniently 

 efi^ected, by pinching off the top of the latter when it has made a few joints, 

 or four leaves above the cotyledons ; and the laterals, which in consequence 

 become developed, may be again subdivided by a similar process. Blossoms 

 of a monoecious character will soon after make their appearance. The male 

 blossoms, or at least a portion of them, must be retained for the purpose of 

 fertilisation, till the requisite quantity of fruit is fairly set, after which 

 those shoots which have only male blossoms may be dispensed with, in 

 order to afford more space for the foliage connected with the fruit. The 

 extremities of the fruit-bearing vines are stopped by pinching at the second 

 or third joint above the fruit. The vines must afterwards be kept regulated 

 so as not to over-crowd the frame with more foliage than can be duly 

 exposed to the light. The regulation should be early and frequently 

 attended to, so as not to have occasion to remove many vines from the plant, 

 or divest it of much foliage at any one time. A piece of slate or tile is 

 placed under each fruit, for the purpose of keeping it from the damp soil. 

 The heat must be fully maintained, or even considerably increased, as the 

 fruit approaches maturity, in order to allow the admission of a more free 

 circulation of air ; but if, at the same time, the bottom-heat be allowed to 

 decline, the plants will become diseased, and fall a prey to the mildew or 

 to the red spider." — Penny Cyc, vol. xv. p. 85. 



To these excellent observations we have only to add, that the trellis 

 referred to in the preceding paragraph (1036) is raised from a foot to eighteen 

 inches above the soil, and within from ten inches to fourteen inches of the 

 glass. The trellis is formed in panels of the same size as the lights, and 

 rests on projections from the front or back of the frame, or pit, or is sus- 

 pended by hooks. The trellis may either be formed of wire fixed to a 

 wooden frame, and forming meshes five inches square to admit passing the 

 hand through to the soil beneath ; or it may be formed of laths three quarters 

 of an inch broad, and half-an-inch thick, also formed into squares, and nailed 

 at the intersections. In general laths are preferable to wires, on account of 

 their forming a flat surface for the fruit to rest on. The trellis is not 

 introduced to the frame or pit till the plants are grown sufficiently high to 

 admit of their tops being brought through it. The shoot having been 

 brought through the middle of the trellis, and grown three joints above it, 

 remove two joints with the finger and thumb, which will cause the plant to 



