THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 6. 
11 
gressive improvement in everything which the earth 
brings forward; for certainly many things do improve 
as they are removed to a warmer climate, but this is not 
always the case. Certain fruits, as well as vegetables, 
prefer a cool atmosphere, or, it may he, a cool soil 
to grow in; and this is accomplished by the difference 
which a few degrees north will give, other circumstances 
being the same. Now, in mapping out a country in 
regard to its productions, there are other considera¬ 
tions also to be borne in mind, as well as the origin 
or native place of the plants we wish to cultivate ; 
for the latter do not always prosper in the greatest 
perfection by beiDg grown in the same latitude as where 
found wild ; on the contrary, other circumstances seem 
to govern them as well. 
The common garden Carnation is said to be only an 
improvement on a wild plant indigenous with us, yet it 
has, by cultivation, become so delicate as to be scarcely 
able to endure our winters. Other instances of the 
same kind might be adduced; but we have, on the 
other hand, evidences wherein cultivation has hard¬ 
ened the constitution of plants, so as to enable them 
to fulfil a certain purpose with us, which they at 
one time seemed incapable of doiug. The tender 
fruits of Asia, by undergoing successive hybridizing, 
or, more properly, production and reproduction from 
seed, have been brought to accommodate themselves 
so far to our climate as to ripen their fruit in a 
degree more or less approaching perfection as the 
circumstances in which they were placed allowed 
them to do. Now, it cannot for a moment be supposed 
that the varieties of Peaches from their native country, 
could, if introduced here, compete at once with our 
Royal George, Noblesse, and other established varieties, 
which, having become naturalised with us, perfect their 
fruit, in most seasons, when placed under the circum¬ 
stances that the Peach is justly entitled to. Rut there 
are certain apparent anomalies in connection with this 
fruit which may, at first sight, appear strange, hut 
which, when the matter is fully explained, appear less 
extraordinary. 
In addition to the fact of there being no improvement 
in the culture of the Peach during the w'holo of the 
present century, we may also add that a considerable 
portion of the best fruit is produced in the north of 
the kingdom; and, testing the aggregate of seasons, the 
quantity and quality of those grown there are fully 
equal, if not superior, to those grown under the more 
genial climate which the southern counties enjoy. 
This is sufficiently strange, considering the tree itself is 
from a district where there are sharp winters, to be sure, 
yet, where the summers bear no comparison to ours, for 
the heat which they furnish, and from whence so many 
plants are introduced, incapable of standing our winters, 
as to lead us to enquire if there be not some other cause 
as well. This will be found to arise, in a great measure, 
from the extra care taken of the tree, for in the far 
north it is regarded in the light of an exotic ; while, in 
more favoured latitudes, it is left almost as much to its 
own resources as if it were indigenous. It is this state 
of things which makes the difference. The cold, short 
summer of the north is met by greater facilities being 
given to the tree to mature not its fruit only, but its 
wood also, and corresponding care being taken of its 
blossoms, when out, and greater care in extirpating the 
various vermin with which it is at times attacked, are 
all points in its culture which so often more than 
counterbalance the advantages which a southern lati¬ 
tude give, when not assisted, in other respects, by any 
of the means pointed out. 
As there are many points, all bearing on the welfare 
of the Peach, let us examine them individually, and see 
in which way each one conduces to the general well¬ 
being of the tree. In the first place, we will slightly 
advert to the situation it is likely to be occupying in the 
respective places that may be south of the Thames, or 
north of the Tweed; and, in the former of these, we 
often see the tree struggling under difficulties which 
leave no hopes of success; while, in other cases, it is 
denied that assistance without which it is vain to look 
for its well being ; in fact, it is to be found in all aspects, 
unless, perhaps, due north ; and very often its position 
is quite as bad as being against a north wall, by some 
high intervening crop, as Peas, &c., depriving it of all 
sunshine. At other times, it maybe seen planted against 
a cottage, or other building, where the drip from the 
eaves has the full privilege of cooling down whatever 
warmth it might in other respects have derived from 
its position; an equal fault to all these, is the severe 
cropping to which the ground on which it is planted is 
also subjected, and the corresponding denial of a suitable 
return of food; all these reasons, and many others 
which it is needless here to mention, tend to check 
that advantage which it would otherwise possess over 
its more northern competitor; consequently, we see at 
some of our Metropolitan shows, and other places, fruit 
from the north at least equal to what is often produced 
nearer home. That some better care is required in 
perfecting that which is so far fetched we will not here 
deny; but, that when once worked into a system, is less 
expensive than might be expected, and the results will, 
in most instances, justify its being carried out. However, 
the manner of doing that, as well as further remarks on 
the growth of our tender wall-fruits, must be left for 
another opportunity. J. Robson. 
ON THE CULTURE OF THE MELON. 
There are few plants which come under the gardener’s 
care that require more attention than the Melon to pro¬ 
duce a good-flavoured fruit; and more particularly so when 
grown in the common frame by the aid of dung alone. 
Yet it may he done, though certainly not with so little 
trouble as when grown in a house heated with hot-water, 
and the plant trained under the roof. Neither do we think 
they possess the same flavour from the dung-bed as from 
the house referred to, and it is evident very early or late 
fruit do not. However, there are only few who have the 
advantage of such a house ; therefore they must make the 
best of what means they have. And we will here endeavour 
to point out a few of the principles connected with its 
culture, as we have grown them in the dung-bed, and also 
in what are termed M'Phail’s brick pits, or those built on 
the pigeon-hole fashion, and heated by linings of hot dung, 
and in these both Melons and Cucumbers did well; but 
the labour attending them was immense. 
We next had the privilege, at another place, to grow 
them in one of the old-fashioned, high-roofed houses, heated 
by a flue in the outside wall. In this house were two beds, 
four feet deep, which were filled every spiing with tan, and 
the soil placed thereon, and when warm, the Melons planted. 
The plants in the back bed were trained up under the glass 
to the ridge, and those on the front bed were trained on the 
surface of the soil! And although the front bed contained 
double the quantity of tan, and the plant occupied double 
the space of surface in the house, the plants trained up the 
back lights produced better fruit, and in greater abundance. 
Now, this was an instance which proved very clearly the 
advantage of the trellis system, and, altogether, was much 
less trouble than the bricked pits. We next had the pri¬ 
vilege of trying the merits of a house that was built ex¬ 
pressly for the purpose, and heated by hot-water, which 
produced bottom-heat as well as top, and in this they did 
extremely well, as the house was a span-roofed one, and 
the plants all trained up beneath; which plan we would re¬ 
commend all to follow wherever it is practicable. However, 
we will leave this to your option, and proceed with its culture. 
Beginning, first, with the common frame and dung-bed, 
though we by no means recommend it; but we fear the 
majority of our readers have no other means ; that in order 
