THE AMATEUR/S KITCHEN GARDEN. 
187' 
As the fruits swell, keep the plants going with a good heat 
and liberal watering, and if the leaves appear yellowish through 
haviug exhausted the hillock, water twice a week with guano 
water, made by adding half an ounce of guano to every gallon 
of soft water. If the roots run upon the surface much, cover 
them with a dressing of fresh soil at the rate of about a barrow- 
full to every hillock, taking great care not to bruise the stems 
or the leaves in the operation. As the fruits acquire their 
full size, discontinue syringing, and lesson the supply of water 
at the roots, and give air freely, but be careful the” heat does' 
not go down, for melons must be ripened in a good heat to 
have proper tenderness and flavour. Every fruit should from 
the first rest on a tile or slate, unless the plants are trained to- 
a trellis, in which case it must have the support of a few 
strips of bass suspended from the trellis. Whenever an in- 
verted flower-pot can be conveniently used for support it 
should be preferred to any other method. They must not 
be cut the instant they have acquired their proper colour, or 
they will be comparatively worthless ; the signal for removing 
them is when they emit a powerful odour, and separate from 
the stalk at the slightest touch. After being removed they 
should be kept a few days before they are cut for eating. 
In Selecting Sorts it is necessary to bear in mind that, as 
a rule, green-fleshed melons are the best. The Beechwood, 
S?nall Egyptian, and Bromham Hall are fine old sorts, that 
will render good service if the seed be true. Bellamore Hybrid , 
Prince of Wales , and Victory of Bath are newish varieties of 
the green flesh section, that may be trusted for beautiful fruit 
of the finest flavour. The best scarlet fleshed variety is Scarlet 
Gem , which requires more heat than Little Heath , which is in 
every way good, besides being hardier and more prolific. An 
extremely nice melon, with rich pink flesh, is Princess Alice , 
a handsome netted fruit of a buff-yellow colour. Queen Annes 
Pocket is valued for decorative purposes, but for eating is com- 
paratively worthless, or at the best only fit to amuse children. 
House Culture. — If the amateur proposes to launch out 
in melon culture, a suitable house heated with hot-water 
pipes will be required. The practice will be precisely the 
same as in frame culture, except as regards the source of 
heat, which will be more certain, more cleanly, and more 
completely under control ; but to counterbalance these ad- 
vantages, it will be found that melons in houses are apt tO' 
