474 
queries and answers. 
Respecting the Thunbergia Alata, a little information is much wanted ; it has 
been blooming very luxuriantly for many weeks, but now at length seems quite 
exhausted, and ready to die, none of its flowers have produced seed, and there 
seems no way of preserving a successor, unless it should put out again from the 
root, which gives no appearance whatever of vitality. While in vigour, could 
any of the runners have been taken off and potted with good effect ? or what 
means are usually resorted to, for keeping up a succession of these very beautiful 
plants ? Nanto. 
The Author of the Domestic Gardener’s Manual to Vigorniensis,— 
When I last addressed Vigorniensis, I merely adverted to the quality and appear¬ 
ances of two varieties of Persian Melons, (Hort. Reg. Vol. 2, page 377.) I was 
not then in possession of the facts that have subsequently come under my im¬ 
mediate observation. Now, however, I cai distinctly reply to his objection and 
queries, stated in page 202 of the same volume. There we read, “ It is still 
however, in my opinion, a question, what is the peculiar excellence of the upright 
system of training ? and particularly, what is the advantage of planting in pots, 
when the same is more readily and perfectly answered by planting in the soil of 
the bed ? ” 
I shall not insist absolutely upon the superiority of pot planting, compared 
with that of the common hot-bed. Mr. Knight himself has said that the striped 
Housainea will succeed w'ith the usual melon culture,—but that it will be always 
proper to support the fruit on a sort of little cradle. That melon is perhaps the 
hardiest and most manageable of the Persian tribe; but such is the delicacy of 
its rind, when compared with that of the common melon, that it will be prudent 
to keep it from pressure upon any hard substance. As to the superiority of the 
method of growing in pots, I can only state that in 1832, I produced one large 
melon weighing six pounds five ounces, and another of three pounds six ounces 
at the same time, upon one plant, growing in a common sea-kale pot inverted : 
but then, the roots penetrated into a bed of leaves, of a very genial temperature, 
(see my former papers on this Persian melon.) A gentleman in my immediate 
neighbourhood has, this year, grown the Housainea from seed produced by me. 
His gardener has every advantage of a fine, brick, pigeon-holed pit, and plenty 
of excellent stable dung. He has employed fresh earth, from a sheep walk, and 
has trained his melons in the usual manner. The fruit set admirably, and pro¬ 
mised to prove a noble crop; two only, however, came to perfection on his flue 
plant. One weighed four pounds two ounces, the other three pounds two ounces; 
and the plant withered aw ay. Hence, 1 conclude that if the Persian melons be 
grown in a house, in pots, plunged in a deep leaf-bed, and the stems be trained 
upwards towards the glass; as much, or more fruit may be produced, with the 
* concomitant advantages of increased length of stem and proportional vegetable 
vitality. The leaves thus situated may be examined with facility; and red 
spiders, or other vermin harbouring on the underside, may be readily perceived 
and washed off. I had opportunity of inspecting the melons just referred to, 
during the whole period of their growth; and therefore, know the progress they 
made. The two melons rested upon tiles: they approached maturity : the gar¬ 
dener on one occasion happened to lift up the fruit that he thought nearly ripe, 
and to his consternation, found the underside mutilated and full of holes. 
Woodlice (sow-bugs as they are here called,) had burrowed into the fruit, and 
severely injured it; the other melon al$o was attacked. Both were then cut 
