168 
1 
THE FLORIST. 
circulation of air to pass over the leaves, and add much to keep these 
important organs in a healthy condition, besides preventing the tendency 
to burn or scorch to which some kinds are liable in the heat of summer. 
Where Melons are required early and the above appliances are 
at command seeds may be sown the last week in November; 
at this season of the year considerable care and attention are requisite 
to secure strong plants for transferring to the pit in January; a fruiting 
pine-pit, stove, or orchard house will be suitable. I prefer to sow them 
thinly in bottom pans. When the plants are up, keep them near the light, 
and when sufficiently strong prick them into single pots, using pure loam 
for this in preference to any other compost. Early in January,the pit should 
be got ready for their reception, by cleaning the glass, interior, &c. 
With reference to growing the Melons in the open border, or pots, I 
give the preference to the latter for the first crop, as the plants are more 
under the control of the cultivator; if they grow weakly a watering 
with guano-water, well diluted, twice a week, will soon give the desired 
vigour ; on the other hand, if they grow too rampant (which, however, 
is seldom the case) a short supply of water until the fruit is set will 
have the desired effect: the pots should be No. 1, or 18 to 20 inches 
in width, and should be well filled with the compost named below. The 
bed in this case will require to be filled up with leaves, previously 
fermented, or tanner’s bark, in lieu of the soil, and the pots plunged 
two-thirds of their depth in the bed, and a sufficient width apart to 
allow about nine square feet of trellis to each pot. 
After experimenting with a great variety of soils for growing Melons, 
I can only recommend a sound loam for their culture. If this is of a 
marly texture, so much the better; the Melon delights in this 
description of soil; but any surface loam—sufficiently heavy to be 
termed a clayey loam, to distinguish it from sandy loam—will answer. 
In some places it is difficult to get a soft tenacious loam, when I recom¬ 
mend a portion of marl or clayey loam to be mixed with the compost, 
as I have always found when light composts have been used, the foliage 
of Melons is very subject to become sickly and fail at the most critical 
point of their growth, z.e., the last swelling of the fruit; when the 
energies of the plant are taxed to the utmost, any deficiency in the root 
supply, either through unsuitable soil or checks to 'the bottom heat, 
paralysing their action, will produce their effects on the foliage, and through 
them on the crop. It must be borne in mind that the perspiring powers 
of the foliage of Melons are very great at all times, and of course increased 
by the high and somewhat dry temperature given to Melons approaching 
maturity, when they part with moisture very rapidly ; and unless this 
waste by perspiration is made good by an uninterrupted supply from 
the roots, the leaves quickly change to a sickly colour, and present a 
favourable opportunity for the red spider, which is almost sure to follow 
in the train to complete their destruction. It is almost unnecessary for 
me to add, that fruit ripening (when it ripens at all) under such con¬ 
ditions is entirely worthless. 
Having stated my predelictions in favour of a marly or clayey loam 
for Melon culture, I may add that in filling the pots o?beds the soil 
should be made firm before planting; for however firm it may be 
