55 
HINTS ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE MELON. 
Description. — A climbing plant greatly esteemed during summer, although its luscious 
fruits are obtainable by special culture all the year round. 
Varieties. — The fruits have green, scarlet, white, or cream coloured flesh, all of which 
have their favourites. 
Sowing Season. From January to June, according to the time of year when the fruits 
are required. 
Mow Sown and Transplanted. — Three or more seeds are put into a pot during the 
winter or spring, half filled with rich soil, which should be made moist, and plunged into 
bottom heat until the seedlings start to grow. Then give more air, and as soon as in third leaf 
they may be potted singly and stood on an airy shelf, but they grow more quickly in a moist 
atmosphere. See Cucumber Culture, page 52. 
After Treatment. — If wanted for house culture, the plants must be set out in heaps of 
soil, or on a bed of a nice loamy material, standing about 3 feet apart, and trained up to a 
wire or wooden trellis. If for frame culture, a raised bed in the centre of each light should 
be made, and one or more plants put into it during May. The growth will spread about, 
and the fruits when commencing to swell should have a piece of tile put underneath them, 
or lay on an inverted flower pot, when the bed is too rich. 
Enemies. — Damp through being kept to close, mildew through sudden changes from heat 
to cold, and red spider through being too dry are the worst pests. Sometimes the plant suffers 
from the depredations of the wireworm and eehvorm, when the bed is too rich. 
French — Melon. 
German — Melon e. 
Dutch Meloen. 
Italian — Popon E. 
Spanish — M elon. 
237, 218, & 97, High Holborn, London. — 1904. 
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