94 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 30. 1904. 
plant and give one tie carefully with, broad bast. As the pots 
become full of roots they should be given a. shift into 4-in. 
pots, or large 60’® as they are called, using the same compost m 
a slightly rougher state, potting the plants firmly and well 
watering them in. 
In the meantime the house they are intended to 1 be 1 planted 
in should receive a, thorough cleansing with hot waiter and soft 
soap. A hot-bed of long stable litter and leaves, well mixed 
up, should be placed on, one side of the house, choosing that 
which will receive the most sun. A few days must be allowed 
for the heat to subside, and then cover the bed with good 
fibrous turves placed grass side' downwards, and allow this time 
to sink down, firm and level. A suitable compost for planting 
in should consist of two parts rough fibrous loam from an, old 
pasture, one part decayed manure and one part leaf-soil, with 
a good sprinkling of old mortar rubble, adding a 48 potful of 
bone>-dust to a barrowload of soil. Mix this thoroughly and 
allow it to stand a day or two before wheeling in, placing some¬ 
thing over it to ward off any rain. When all is ready for 
planting' wheel the soil in and place it, in a, ridge on the tuives 
with the centre just below thei bottom wire of the trellis. As 
soon as it has become warmed through make small holes large 
enough to receive the plants, placing them about, 2 ft. or 2 ft. 
apart. Plant, them very firm and not too deep, or the young 
plants are liable to damp off at the collar. The soil should be 
made up into a, small mound for each one, planting it directly 
in thei centre. Place a, neat stake, to each one and secure it, to 
the wire. Give a go’od watering with tepid water and keep 
the paths and bed well damped, and on bright days a light 
syringing overhead will be very helpful. 
As they grow the laterals should be trained horizontally 
along the wires, allowing plenty of room between each for the 
foliage to, develop. The flowers should be carefully fertilised 
a,s they open, the object always to bear in mind being a nice 
even set of fruit. Three' fruits on each plant will be plenty to 
mature, and if the plants be at all weakly two will be sufficient. 
Discontinue the use of the syringe while the plants are in, 
flower and endeavour to obtain a, dry, buoyant atmosphere, 
admitting air judiciously and maintaining a brisk pipe-heat. 
The temperature should not, go below 70 deg. a,t, night, 
allowing a, rise of 10 deg. or 15 deg. by day and shutting 
up early ,a,t 90 deg. with ©un-heat. The plants will soon 
make rapid progress., and when all the fruits are set satis¬ 
factorily and swelling away a, good top-dressing will be found 
very beneficial. During the swelling period a good watering 
of diluted liquid manure about once a week will greatly assist 
them. Melons, require plenty of water when: growing. It is: 
when they are finishing that less is needed. Too much water 
when the fruits are ripening will crack them and make therm, 
quite worthless for table. Various methods are adopted for 
suspending the fruit, of which I should have spoken before, buti 
the best I know of is by nets. These arei not so unsightly as 
boards, and the fruits are not liable to roll off. There are a 
many good varieties suitable for early forcing, but. I have not 
space here to name them all. R. Thatcher. 
WistO'W Gardens, Leicester. 
Economy. 
A friend of mine, a, short time ago on being engaged as head 
gardener at, a, pretty big place, was told that he was expected 
to work it as economically as possible. His reply was rather 
good, although nearly as vague as the expressed wish of his 
employer. He said lie would work it a,s economically as was 
consistent with good work. Now that I have started this 
articles, I find that it is a, rather delicate subject, to treat frankly. 
It will, of course, be impossible to mention, even slightly, all 
the different ideas of employers regarding the working econo¬ 
mically of' 'their various places that have come under my own 
notice. In some places a, certain, sum is allowed annually for 
garden expenses, and in tire long run, if this sum is: anything 
at all reasonable, I am inclined to think it not, at all a, had 
one. For one thing, you know exactly where you are, and you 
can then lay out, your money to the best advantage. Of course, 
some employers like to have a say in the ordering of flowei- 
seeds especially. This is rather trying where'your expenditure 
is limited. Others, again, always wish the bills kept, as low as 
possible. This is, perhaps, the most unsatisfactory of any, 
for, unfortunately, these very people expect great things from 
their gardens. I have had to do also with the generous em¬ 
ployed who, if well served, grudges nothing. This latter is, of 
course, the favourite, but alas ! he is like the Highlander s hair, 
“ gie seldom.” 
One thing I know, however, when we do find him ire seldom 
suffers from his generosity. It is; a. delight, to work his garden 
as cheaply as possible, and seeing that all aids in the way of 
artificial manures, insecticides, etc., are cheerfully given, you 
are hound, if you are at all capable, to produce thei best results, 
■and thus repay him. For it, must be borne in mind that no 
private place can really pay. That is to, say, there can be no 
return in hard cash. At the same time, if the employer really 
loves his gardens and grounds, the pleasure derived from a 
well-kept place must, I think, more than repay any reasonable 
expense. Nobody is more down, on waste than I am, but I am 
very doubtfuTof the wisdom of selling what is termed “ surplus 
stuff ” from private gardens. I will say nothing as to the un¬ 
fairness to market, growers, but, content, myself with pointing 
on" the waste of time to the staff, gathering, packing, and 
often delivering these things. Far better, I say, if the garden 
is too large for the family, to crop less of it and plant, the 
worst parts with ornamental and flowering shrubs, which would 
beautify the place, and also, admit, of the staff having time to 
keep the whole' place in fine order; for really, a badly-kept 
place must, I think, be a sourec of irritation to any employer, 
no matter how little he spends on it. A great, deal more I could 
write on this subject, but must leave it for some future occa¬ 
sion. I hope some other abler writer will also give his opinion. 
Chas. Blair. 
Preston, Linlithgow. 
Tree Seeds for Sowing. 
Few gardeners have any experience in seed sowing and do 
not know how short-lived the seeds and nuts of many trees are 
when kept in a dry state like garden, vegetable and flower 
seeds. Even the pips of Apples and Pears keep but a short 
time, and when, allowed to become dry may never plump up 
ao-ain nor germinate. The secret is that seeds and nuts tall 
to the' ground in autumn and winter, and, being covered y 
grass or fallen leaves, are kept' moist till spring, when they 
commence to sprout soon after the temperature has risen suffi¬ 
ciently to wake them into fresh life. The fruit of a Maple 
has been known to commence sprouting at freezing-point. 
Others are less ready and require, a. higher temperatui e. 
Anent, this subject, Mr. Joseph Meehan, has, an article in 
" The Florists'’ Exchange” for January 9th. He says " It is 
not too late to place in damp soil many of the nuts desired toi 
sowing in, spring, and even of acorns, if they have not been 
allowed to become too much dried out. In the case of Map es 
and seeds other than nuts, it may or may not, he too, late. It 
they have not been in a damp place or in damp material, it is 
doubtful if their germinative power is still good, though the 
probabilities are that, if mixed with damp soil, the results 
would be satisfactory. If Maples, Ash, Poplar, and like seeds 
are kept entirely diy all winter, they will not grow in spring. 
Many dealers in, seeds, recognising that this drying-out, will 
not, do, have facilities for keeping seeds in proper condition. 
Those requiring a, damp place are kept in damp rooms, so that 
there will be no loss of weight, at least. The matter should 
bo taken up at once, there being no time to lose. 
Tree and shrub seeds are unlike those of flower and vegetable. 
The latter may be kept in dry offices and be in good condition ; 
not, so with tree seeds. And because this is not well known 
is why so- many young beginners fail with the seeds they sow. 
