MELON. 
(Cucumis Melo.) 
French, Melon. 
CULTURAL NOTES. 
The Melon is by no means as difficult to grow as is often supposed, and 
fruits of splendid size and choice quality may easily be obtained from a 
frame or cool greenhouse during the genial months of the year. The 
Melon is grown in much the same way as the Cucumber, but differs in 
requiring a firmer soil, a higher temperature, a much stronger light, less 
water, and more air. The ideal soil for Melons is sound turfy loam, such 
as the top three inches of an old meadow, free from soil insects, and con- 
taining a proportion of lime. If the soil be poor, enrich it with well-decayed 
manure; heavy soil will be benefited by the addition of a little leaf-mould. 
Frame Culture may begin about the middle of March by the pre- 
paration of a good hotbed, treating the fermenting material as advised for 
the frame cultivation of Carrot and Cucumber. In due course place about 
nine inches of soil over the manure, and when the temperature has settled 
down to 80° the plants may be put out on mounds of soil. Sow the seeds 
singly in three-inch pots a month in advance, and repot them if the beds are 
not ready. The young plants are pinched when there are two rough leaves. 
The result is two side shoots. These are allowed to produce six or seven 
leaves, and are then pinched. After this, the plants are permitted to run 
‘ until the crop is visible. Artificial fertilisation of the female flowers is 
necessary to ensure a crop of Melons, and the procedure is described in a 
later paragraph. The fruits that are to remain must bearefully selected, 
and the shoots be pinched to one eye above each fruit, and only one fruit 
should remain on a shoot; the others must be removed a few at a time, 
taking care that no single fruit commences to swell in advance of the others, 
or these will prove unsatisfactory. From first to last there must be a 
regular plant, and not a shoot should be allowed to grow that is not wanted. 
The plant should never be dry at the root, and must have a light shower 
twice a day over the foliage, but the moisture which is necessary for 
Cucumbers would be excessive for Melons. Less water and increased air- 
giving is required during the pollination of the flowers, which should be 
performed in the morning when the leaves are dry and the sun is shining. 
Watering may be resumed when the fruits are an inch or so over, but should 
be discontinued if possible when the fruits begin to change colour. Melons 
in frames do better spread out on the beds than when trained on trellises. 
Each fruit must be supported with a flat tile, and good management requires 
that they should ripen fuily exposed to the sun, with plenty of ventilation. 
Fuller details on the culture of Melons are given in Sutton’s Book on Gardening, Fifteenth 
The Melon House, heated by 
hot water, is adapted to supply fruit 
earlier than is obtainable by frame 
culture or from a hotbed in an un- 
heated greenhouse. The manage- 
ment of the plants in a house also 
differs from the frame management, 
because a trellis is employed, and 
the plants are taken up the trellis 
without stopping until they nearly 
reach the top, when the points are 
pinched out to promote the growth 
of side shoots. The method of 
training and stopping the plants on 
the single cordon system is clearly 
shown in the lower of the accom- 
panying illustrations. The plants 
may be put out at a distance of 
eighteen inches apart. In setting 
the fruit, the same principles prevail 
as) in’) frame) veulture). and sites 
advisable to ‘set’ the whole crop 
at once. As the fruits swell, 
support must be afforded by nets, or 
by small flat boards suspended by 
wires, to prevent any undue strain 
on the vine. ° 
The Pollination of Melons 
is performed by plucking the mature 
male blooms, and after the removal 
of the petals, transferring the pollen 
of the male flower to the stigma of 
the female flower. The various 
stages of the operation are shown in 
the uppermost of the accompanying 
illustrations. 
WHITE-FLESHED VARIETIES. 
Sutton’s Universal. 
flavour. 
variety ... 
required. 
3 to 4 lbs. 
of successes. 
in frames. 

COPYRIGHT $, &S, 
SUTTON’S HERO OF LOCKINGE. Catena 
‘Your Hero of Lockinge Melon has done 
extremely well with me this season, and from the 
second crop alone I had as many as sixteen fruits 
on one vine.'—Mr. E. STRATTON, Gardener to 
Miss S. WOODHOUSE. 
‘I beg to testify to the g 
Fruit of medium size, beautifully netted. 
rand qualities of your Universal Melon. 
matured, and in a dull climate like this where we have such an absence of sun is the very thing 
The flavour is perfect, flesh very deep, and the plant has a robust constitution, not in 
the least inclined to damp off at the neck like most of the tender kinds.'.—Mr. J. J. Davipson,' 
Gardener to JOHN REID, Esq. 
Sutton’s Hero of Lockinge. 
the Melon house, and comes very early. 
laid on a golden ground. Flesh white, extremely rich in flavour. 



COPYRIGHT &. & 5, ¢ 
THE POLLINATION OF MELONS. 
1. Male flower being denuded of its petals 
3. Male stigma with petals removed. 
2 ahd 4. Female flower and pollination with 
male stigma. 5. Fruit swelling. 
6. Fruit ready for support. 
7. Melon net for supporting fruit. 
COPYRIGHT S, &&, 
STOPPING AND TRAINING MELONS. 
1. Hotbed. 2. Plant reaching trellis. 
3. A cordon-traingd plant. 
4. Side shoots stopped. 
5. Main stem stopped. 
edition, price 10s. 6d. net. 
The sterling merits of this very handsome Melon are 
acknowledged both by amateur and by professional gardeners. 
attractive yellow skin, boldly netted. 
Fruits large, with an 
Flesh very deep, melting, and most excellent in 
Those who have already grown Sutton’s Universal find that, in addition to 
other advantages, the fruits can easily be brought to maturity, and it is a very early 
per packet, ls. 9d. and 2s. 6d. 
It is a good cropper, easily 
Succeeds as well in a cold pit or frame as in 
Fruit handsome, with white lacing evenly 
Weight from 
As an exhibition fruit Sutton’s Hero of Lockinge has a continuous record 
To amateurs it offers the immense advantage of being easily grown 
First-class Certificate, R.H.S., August 13, 1912. 
Sutton’s Royal Favourite. 
(Illustrated) 
per packet, 1s. 6d. and 2s. 6d. 
A singularly beautiful Melon, raised in the Royal 
Spherical in form, with an elegantly netted surface. 
exceedingly thick, possessing a full and exquisite flavour. 
great freedom, and has a vigorous constitution, 
Society, August 13, 1912 
Veitch’s Eminence. 
Flesh white, 
The plant sets fruit with 
Award of Merit, Royal Horticultural 
per packet, 1s. and 1s. 6d. 
The flesh of this fine Melon is of great depth and delicious in flavour. 
Award of Merit, Royal Horticultural Society ... 
———— 

Early and distinct, and sets its fruit freely. 
per packet, 1s. and 1s. 6d, 

SUTTON & SONS, Seed Growers and Merchants, READING, ENGLAND. 
50 
Rin, 
