MELONS. 3 



space, now using a stronger compost. The leaf- soil may be dis- 

 pensed with, using a little manure from an old Mushroom bed. 

 Those for planting in the houses should be allowed to grow with- 

 out stopping, placing a neat stick to each plant as a support, and 

 those plants intended for planting in pits and frames will require 

 stopping at the second rough leaf, or rather the growing point 

 should be taken out before a third leaf is developed. If sowings 

 are made at intervals of ten days it will afford a supply of young 

 plants for succession. We plant from January to July ; the first 

 date for planting will give fruit for cutting in May, and the latter 

 date for cutting in October. 



Soil. — With regard to soil for Melons, I am convinced that 

 without suitable soil good crops cannot be had, as Melons require 

 a good substantial loam. The top spit from an old pasture is 

 what I prefer if such is obtainable, soil such as a good strong 

 yellow loam being most suitable. This should be broken up 

 with the spade to about the size of a duck's egg. Do not use 

 any manure, but to every cartload of loam add two barrowloads of 

 old mortar or plaster, broken up and run through an inch mesh 

 sieve, and one barrowload of half -decayed leaf soil, turning the 

 whole two or three ; times so as to thoroughly mix it. Mistakes 

 are often made in preparing soil for Melons by making it too rich 

 by adding manure, which encourages a too luxuriant growth. 

 When this is so it is an impossibility to obtain satisfactory results, 

 as the growth becomes so succulent that instead of the fruit 

 setting it turns yellow and decays. 



Planting. — Whether preparing beds in the houses or pits a 

 good quantity of Oak and Beech leaves and long stable manure 

 should be prepared and put in to the depth of 2 or 3 feet, 

 according to the depth of the beds or pits. On this should be 

 placed fresh-cut turves 2 inches in thickness, the grass side down- 

 wards. On this the prepared compost is put from 10 inches 

 to 1 foot in depth ; it should be fairly dry, so as to allow its 

 being made firm by treading, as a firm soil is conducive to a firm 

 and short -jointed growth. Planting should not be done until 

 the soil has become sufficiently warmed, which will be in a day 

 or two. By this time its temperature will be nearly the same as 

 that of the house or pit in which the plants are growing. 



Planting on the ridge is to be preferred to planting on the flat, 

 as it allows the water to pass away more readily from the stem 



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