THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 11. 
i 
372 
tion, we will suppose the seeds sown in pots, and the 
pots plunged in the bed, the internal heat of which 
should never exceed blood heat, while the atmospheric 
warmth may be less. The glass ought also to he scru¬ 
pulously clean, as likewise the interior of the frame, the 
pots, and everything else calculated to insure a healthy, 
vigorous growth. We have before stated that good 
turfy loam, from what is usually called good “ wheat 
lands,” is the best to grow this fruit in; but a finer de¬ 
scription is often allowed them while in a preparatory 
state, i.e., in pots ; therefore, when your seedlings have 
just shown their first rough leaf, let them be potted in 
pairs, labelled, and replunged, as directed for young 
cucumber plants at page 243; and we shall suppose 
them to have progressed so favourably as to be ready 
for final planting out, which we now enter upon. 
Previously to the last ten or fifteen years, melons were 
almost uniformly grown on a fermenting bed of dung or 
tan, and the vine allowed to rest on the ground; since 
then trellises have become more common, and hot water 
and other modes of heating have been also put in requi¬ 
sition, so that a variety of methods are now in use with 
varied success, and where very early, or very late, fruit 
is wanted, fire heat, in some shape or other, is indis- 
peusible; and trellises are likewise of great use, in the 
same way, as tending to check those decaying influences 
a too close contact with the earth induces. Another 
very important benefit attending them, is the chance 
there is of syringing the leaves from below, and thereby 
keeping in check that pest to the melon, the red spider. 
This point is one of which we shall speak hereafter; suf¬ 
fice it now to say that we approve of trellises generally, 
but must make our directions available to all. We shall 
first begin with that still useful appendage to the “ forcing 
gardener,” the dung-bed. 
Most likely before these pages reach the reader, some 
of our crack forcing men will have their crops of melons 
running over the hills, and showing fruit — to such 
we have little to say; rather let us direct the amateur to 
the making of this bed, and, in the first place, we will 
suppose him to have some well-prepared dung, which 
being built up four feet high, and made moderately 
firm, the frame and lights may be put on. We are 
aware that in thus summarily recommending a plain 
bed, we are departing from the rule many have of 
building up a sort of a flue, or hollow chamber of 
rough stones, under each light; the object of this ven¬ 
tilator is to counteract any extra amount of heat the 
bed may be charged with, and it sometimes serves a 
useful purpose that way, as no burning or scalding of 
the soil takes place. While it is in working order, the hill 
being immediately over it, is not liable to those fluctua¬ 
tions which sometimes proves fatal to the common way, 
but on the other hand, the sinking or receding of the 
dung-bed leaves this in an elevated position, and as 
that sinking continues after the plants are expected to 
occupy the whole bed, we have seen sad fractures of the 
roots in consequence. This latter case is more manifest, 
when in place of a pillar of loose rough stones a rough 
faggot is used. This unyielding object is very objection¬ 
able ; we therefore prefer the bed to be plain and solid, 
and depend on the previous preparation of the dung, 
and the after attention, for counteracting all over heating 
properties. 
We may observe that for early forcing, a dung-pan 
raised on a framework of rough timbers, and heated 
solely by lining, presents many advantages, not the 
least being the partial command of heat we are ex¬ 
pected to have over it; but then the application of 
linings must be well attended to, and that involves a 
labour not always at command, in March and April. 
Besides, in these months the increased and increasing 
amount of solar heat is such as is likely to serve the 
purpose required, when that of the plain-made-up bed 
has subsided; or a simple addition of lining will do. 
But we will suppose the bed made, the heat all that could 
be wished for, and some of the soil mentioned last 
week as being suitable for the melon, in a tolerably dry 
state, ready for use ; our purpose is now to begin to put 
it in, which after making the bed even inside, is done to 
the extent of about three inches thick all over, and a 
ridge or hillock under the centre of each light, or if the 
lights are more than six feet long by four wide, we have 
sometimes made two hills in a light, for small-growing 
kinds, as the old Green Egyptian ; but in a usual way, 
one hill to a light will be sufficient, the hills ought to be 
at least fifteen inches high, and for strong-growing kinds, 
as some of the Scarlet-fleshed varieties, eighteen will not 
be too much. After getting it in, let it stand a day or 
two, to warm properly, and after examining the heat, 
and satisfying yourself from its kindly disposition, that 
no mischief is to be apprehended, you may turn out your 
plants, which by this time, we suppose to have three or 
more rough leaves, with the cotyledons (or seed lobes) 
still adhering. But little water will be needed at first, 
unless the weather be bright, but air in moderate quan¬ 
tities must be admitted, but that must be done with 
extreme caution, as sudden currents of a cold north-east 
wind would be next to fatal to a plant so delicate, while 
the pernicious effects of the east wind are almost equally 
so; therefore, in giving air, limit the orifice to no more 
than is just sufficient to enable the heated or vitiated 
portion to escape, with the smallest possible influx of 
that from the open air. This stinted mode of giving 
air will not do when the interior is filled with steam, 
nor yet in bright sunshine; in the latter case, a more 
liberal amount may be admitted, and in the case of 
steam arising to an undue degree, a small outlet must 
be provided for its escape at all times, only taking care 
such outlet is no larger than necessary; and if some¬ 
thing in the shape of warp netting, or other open sub¬ 
stance, was hung before it, so as partially to diffuse and 
soften the cold air before it entered the frame to replace 
that driven out, so much the better, but as we have 
recommended undue moisture to be guarded against 
by the proper preparation of the dung, no great influx 
of steam need be apprehended, unless the weather be 
moist and mild. However, all these matters in detail 
are necessary to be observed, otherwise success cannot 
be looked for. 
All these provisions made and attended to, the 
amateur must also remember the frame must be covered 
up every night, and uncovered in the morning again. 
Now, this is a tiresome job if left to unwilling hands, 
but it must be done, and we wish we could recommend 
him the best material for the purpose, as we, like our 
worthy coadjutor, Mr. Errington, look forward for some 
“ friend to horticulture ” introducing an article superior 
to any thing we have yet had. But for the present we 
must be content with garden mats, as they are called, 
yet something waterproof to throw over them would 
keep them dry, warm, and comfortable, as we cannot 
think wet mats lying on glass can be of much service, 
except, perhaps, obstructing that escape of heated air, 
through the overlaps and other interstices, which it is 
so necessary to keep inside. Boarded shutters we have 
tried, hut there is such a current of air between that and 
the glass, that unless mats are used underneath, this 
sort of covering is liable to many objections. What we 
want is a sort of covering, light, pliable, and water 
proof, at the same time cheap and durable; these 
qualities, doubtless, are difficult to combine, but we do 
not despair of having them by degrees. At all events, 
we must not omit a covering of some kind or other. 
Our remarks on the varieties of melons and their sub¬ 
sequent management, we must leave until another week. 
J. Rorson. 
