GLEANINGS ON lIORTICUI/riJKE. 



53 



MELONS AND CUCUMBERS. 



My melon and encumber-frames, in size and appearances, are 

 similar to the orchard-house ; the same Warner's conservatory 

 boiler and additional four-inch pipes supply the bottom-heat. 

 Dimensions, twenty feet in length — ^lights twelve feet. Planks 

 are placed over the flow and return-pipes, and the melons or 

 cucumbers are steamed daily by syringing the pipes. 



The essential part to attend to is the keeping up constant 

 humidity, and the red-spider will never appear, or even the 

 thrips. Cucumbers require more steaming than melons. 



GROUND PLAN. 



1. The borders raised on planks over tbe four inch pipes to the top of the exterior 



ground. 



2. The centre walk. 



3. Cast metal water tanks to supply the pipes. 



The outside walls at the back six feet snuk considerably below the level of the soil, 

 and about four feet high in front. 



ON TRAINING FRUIT-TREES. 



The curvilinear, wavy, or drooping fan-shape, are decidedly 

 the best methods of training peaches, apricots, plums, and pear- 

 trees against walls ; each extremity of the trees should turn 

 upwards, or be pendulous. Lay the branches in regularly, 

 avoiding crossing any of them, and observe that each side ranges 

 in the same manner and position : — 



