430 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 1, 1893^ 
PRACTICAL HINTS ON MELON CULTURE. 
{Continued from page 309.') 
That large numbers of Melons may be grown in unheated pits 
during the summer months is fully demonstrated by a few skilful 
and energetic cultivators, who annually produce many fine examples 
entirely without artificial heat. Others there are who often try to 
do so, but unfortunately fail in their endeavours, and at length 
give up the task. This is to be regretted, because in almost any 
garden there are a few spare pits which may with advantage be 
devoted to Melon culture during a period through which they are 
of little use for other purposes. 
Having had a large amount of experience in This phase of 
Melon culture, in some instances with marked suscess, 1 venture 
to jot down a few simple cultural details which, I trust, will help 
to bring success where failure has been too frequent. Pits which 
have been cleared of early Potatoes are often devoted to Melon 
culture. With these but little preparation is required before 
planting, as ample drainage is provided by the fermenting mate¬ 
rials employed for the previous crop. Three inches of the surface 
soil should then be removed, and a mound of Melon soil (prepared 
in the way advised on page 2G7) placed in the centre of each light, 
the top of the mound to be slightly flattened when completed, and 
about 9 inches from the glass. A bushel of soil to an ordinary 
frame light is enough to start the plants in. When preparing pits 
or frames which have been used for protecting plants, it is better 
to provide some kind of drainage rather than place the soil upon 
the hard bottom. Three inches of clinkers or broken bricks 
answers the purpose well, over which a layer of rough manure or 
leaves should be placed before the soil is added. If, on the other 
hand, the floor of the pit is formed of rough boards with a hollow 
cavity underneath, the soil may be placed directly on the boards. 
I always like to put out young plants from 4 or 5-inch pots 
before they have become root-bound, so that they have time to 
thoroughly establish themselves before the fruit begins to swell. 
The usual precaution of setting the collar of each plant only just 
deep enough to cover the old ball with fresh soil must of course 
be observed. After planting give a good watering with tepid 
water, keep close, and shade for ten days. Two plants should be 
planted in the centre of each light, and a few days after that opera¬ 
tion is performed remove the point from each. Retain a couple of 
the strongest shoots resulting therefrom on each plant. Train one 
to the front and the other to the back of the light, stopping each 
shoot when they are within a foot of the side of the pit. Plenty of 
laterals will then be produced. These ought to have the points 
removed at one joint beyond the pistillate flower. Should the 
weather prove bright and warm the lights may be entirely removed 
for an hour during the middle of the day, to enable the pollen to 
become thoroughly dry. 
After each fully expanded pistillate flower has been fertilised 
the lights ought to be placed on again, leaving an inch or two of 
air (according to the weather) on the back of the pit for a couple 
of hours longer, when they may be closed, without damping, taking 
care to admit air by seven o’clock the following morning if the 
weather is bright or warm. By following this practice I have never 
experienced any difficulty in securing a good set of fruit, and of 
retaining four of the most even ones on each plant. Every alter¬ 
nate lateral produced generally requires removal to prevent over¬ 
crowding ; this is best done after the fruits are set, as there is 
then a better chance of securing even fruits in consequence of 
having more to select from. As a rule Melons in pits are managed 
successfully enough up to this stage of their growth, but by the 
time the fruits are half grown and the plants begin to feel the 
strain of the crop red spider, canker, and gum frequently begin to 
work sad havoc among them ; but I have no hesitation in saying 
that with proper attention to watering, syringing, and ventilation 
these diseases and insects may generally be prevented doing much 
damage. 
Care should be taken to ascertain the true condition of the soil 
before water is applied to the roots. This is easily done by 
thrusting a pointed stick into the soil. If this is found to be 
moderately dry a couple of inches below the surface a good 
watering maj be given, but if once the plants are overwatered 
previous to a wet day, canker or decay at the collar is almost sure 
to follow. Watering is best performed early in the morning to 
allow the superfluous moisture to dry up before nightfall, an 
occasional supply of liquid manure being of great benefit. 
Unremitting attention to ventilation is perhaps more con¬ 
ducive to success than any other operation connected with the 
culture of Melons in pits. It is not so much thegiving of airwhich is 
sometimes neglected as the reduction of it. Seeing that the sun is the 
only heating medium we have to depend upon, it is absolutely 
necessary that a good amount of it be entrapped as often as possible. 
During bright weather a chink of air should be given at 7 a.m., a 
little more being added an hour after, the amount being gradually 
increased as the sun gains power, and during dull periods it ought 
to be correspondingly reduced. Strict attention must be paid to 
this matter during the middle of the day, for it frequently happens 
that the sky becomes clouded then, and the sun tails to make its 
appearance again the same day, and unless the lights are quite 
closed at such times too little heat is maintained through the night. 
During bright weather closing should take place from 2 to 3 p.m., 
giving the plants a good syringing at the same time. Should the 
weather become suddenly dull at closing time, indications of rain 
being also present, syringing should be withheld and given early the 
next morning if bright weather is apparent, for in order to keep red 
spider at bay atmospheric moisture must be freely indulged in when¬ 
ever bright weather is prevalent; but on the other hand stagnant 
moisture lying about the plants during dull weather when no fire 
heat can be given to dispel it, is productive of almost all the 
ills to which Melons are susceptible. 
When the fruits begin to colour syringing must be sparingly 
indulged in, wetting those leaves only which can be done without 
damping the fruits, keeping the plants also rather drier at the 
roots, and shading slightly in hot weather. By the time the fruits 
are fully coloured water should be entirely withheld, and a little 
air be constantly left on. The ripening process is best completed 
by placing the fruits on a dry shelf for a couple of days. Diseases 
and insects I hope to deal with shortly.— Labor Omnia "Vincit. 
SHOWING AND JUDGING ALPINE FLOWERS, 
While it is evident that alpine flowers have not yet attained 
their proper position in the estimation of the public, it is equally 
evident that slowly but surely they are becoming more appre¬ 
ciated. This being so, it is to be expected that their claims for 
recognition at flower shows will be attended to, and classes for 
these attractive flowers more generally provided. It may there¬ 
fore be assumed that the question of how alpines should be exhi¬ 
bited and judged is of sufficient interest to warrant the initiation 
of its discussion, and, with the view of eliciting an expression of 
opinion, these remarks are penned. 
It must be evident to all who have at heart the progress of 
alpines that the general method of exhibiting these in pots or 
pans fully exposed to view is a most unsatisfactory mode of show¬ 
ing their beauties. The glaring colour of the earthenware is 
manifestly incongruous, and has besides, in many cases, the great 
disadvantage of “killing” the colours of the flowers. Then, 
again, pots or pans, while obnoxious on the ground of their colour 
and obvious want of harmony with the character of the vast 
majority of the plants they contain, are still more unsuitable for 
the many trailing plants which form such delightful objects when 
seen hanging over a large stone or depending from some crevice in 
larger rock gardens. Their beauty cannot be fully displayed by 
allowing them to hang over the edges of a pot, and in order to give 
them full justice some other method must be adopted. Two 
systems which may commend themselves to some only require to 
mentioned to be almost “ laughed out of court.” These are either 
to surround the pot with one of those wire frames which are the 
horror of those who dislike to see flowers, in themselves of most 
beautiful pendant habit, tortured into the shape of a pancake that 
they may (save the mark !) display their beauty ; or to reverse the 
order of Nature and train the plant to an upright trellis. Both of 
these systems condemn themselves, and we must endeavour to find 
another. 
Much may be said in favour of the pots being placed in a 
bank of moss with sufficient space between to allow of room 
for the trailing plants to extend their branches, but, on the other 
hand, the very beauty of the moss would in some cases prevent 
the flowers fully displaying their delicacy and loveliness. We 
must, therefore, I submit, take a lesson from Nature, and adopt 
the plan which has already commended itself to a few 
exhibitors of arranging the plants among pieces of rock so placed 
as to hide the pots or pans, and to display the form, habit, and 
colour of the flowers as well as possible. To do this properly the 
pieces of rock should be weather-worn and coloured, and perhaps 
no stone is so suitable as that which seems to be the favourite of 
so many gems of the alpine flora—limestone. 
Another question which arises, and which is one of very con¬ 
siderable difficulty is, What is an alpine ? Here, I must confess, 
I am puzzled to give a definition which would fully convey my 
meaning, and which would properly discriminate between a hardy 
border flower and an alpine, for some true alpines will grow 
admirably on many borders, and no hard and fast rule can be laid 
down. At the same time it is evident that many comparatively 
gross growing flowers are shown in classes for alpines, and there is a 
danger that these may, by their more showy appearance, be considered 
