188 the amateur’s kitchen garden. 
be sooner and more severely beset with red spider than when 
grown with fermenting materials. The red spider (Acarus 
tellarius) is the only enemy to be feared, but unfortunately an 
enemy sure of conquest unless met with prompt and energetic 
action. 
The one great necessity in the cultivation of the melon is 
sunshine ; hence, although we may produce early melons and 
late melons, they are always, properly speaking, productions 
of the summer, and that is one great reason why they can be 
well done in frames, and there is no special advantage in 
growing them in houses. It must be understood, however, 
that sun heat, as a rule, is not enough for melons ; to produce 
first-class samples, heat must be obtained from fermenting 
materials, or flues, or hot water, or some other method. 
Nevertheless, as sailing near the wind has a chance of its own 
for the adventurous, the production of melons may be at- 
tempted by those who cannot command the means to do the 
thing well, and they may come out of the conflict conquerors. 
Given strong plants to begin with, and an early, hot, and 
long-continued summer, a fine crop of melons may be secured 
by the cultivator who can combine skill with watchfulness 
and perseverance. We have grown as fine melons as were 
ever seen or tasted, with the aid of grass mowings only ; and 
also without any heat at all in a house with summer 
cucumbers. 
Melons in the Open Ground are likely to prove more 
plague than profit, but with good management, in a favour- 
able season, a few fine fruits may be secured. Those who 
simply plant out melons and hope for the best, are very likely 
indeed to go unrewarded, for a systematic cultivation is re- 
quired ; and the principal object of all the arrangements must 
be, to make the best of the climate, to carry the plants safely 
through a period of trial, or enable them to derive the fullest 
possible advantage from a long spell of bright warm weather. 
W T e are to suppose that the warmth of May has arrived, 
and that you have a sufficient number of melon plants in 
pots in a frame or warm greenhouse. Those who raise their 
own plants will of course sow seeds on a good hotbed some 
time in March, and keep their plants close to the glass and 
as freely ventilated as they will bear, so as to have them 
strong for planting out in May. A large body of stable 
manure about half rotted, will be required for forming 
