Expose ripening fruits as much as possible to full sun; and should the weather be bright, do not allow the soil to become over-dry and crack as the ripening process goes on. Give all plants swelling off their crops waterings at intervals, and in sufficient amount to prevent the soil from cracking. Syringe the foliage when the house is shut up, and give artificial heat to keep the temperature from falling below 70° at night. Shut up in the afternoon early enough to run the heat up to 85° or 90° for a time. Impregnate late crops at midday when the pollen is dry, and do not allow the plants to become crowded with young growths.

Melon Forcing #1

Apply fire-heat to these so as to keep the night temperature at from 70° to 75°, according to the weather. Be more careful now in giving water to plants that have full - grown but not ripe fruit on them. After this season the fruit has a tendency to split if too much water be given. Keep ripening fruit dry and warm, and as fully exposed to sun as possible.

Melon Forcing #2

Late crops should have the night temperature about 72°, and when ripening, warmth and dryness are indispensable to good flavour; but avoid allowing the soil to become so dry that the foliage flags before the fruit are perfected.

Melon Forcing #3

A few may be sown for an early crop. Half fill 4-inch pots with loamy soil, and sow two seeds in each. Plunge near the glass, in a temperature of 70° and bottom-heat of 85°, and when the young plants appear let them be kept in as light a position as can beafforded them. Do not give more water than is sufficient to keep them from flagging, and earth up their stumps as they lengthen.

Melon Forcing #4

The early plants may be planted out whenever they are well rooted in their pots, and about 8 to 9 inches high. For early crops, it is a good plan to grow them in pots. A 12-or 13-inch pot will ripen three or four good fruits; and Melons at this early season should not have so much soil to ramble in as in summer. See that the loam used has no wireworm in it, or the plants will soon go the way of Jonah's gourd. That Melons may make satisfactory progress at this season the bottom and top temperatures should be respectively 85° and 70°, with the usual rise by day with sun-heat. Sow at the beginning and end of the month for succession crops.

Melon Forcing #5

Those planted last month will now be growing freely. Train the plants up the wires to within 15 inches of the top of the pit before stopping them. Water sparingly, and supply only a moderate amount of moisture to the air. Range the night heat to 70°. Give air as soon as it rises above 80° early in the day, and shut up early with sun-heat. To grow melons at this season with much moisture and little air produces thin sickly foliage that becomes a prey to insects, and is easily scorched when the sun becomes more strong. Plant out successional crops, and sow more seed as previously directed, both at the beginning and end of the month, according to demand and accommodation.

Melon Forcing #6

Sow and plant out succession crops. Increase the moisture in both the air and soil in the case of plants that have set full crops of fruit. Keep the heat at 70°, with 10° or 15° more by day with sun. Look over those in bloom at mid-day, and impregnate them. Stop the laterals one leaf beyond the fruit. Support the fruits when they begin to swell and become a strain upon the shoots.

Melon Forcing #7

Sow and plant out for succession-crops at the beginning and end of the month. Attend regularly to the tying and stopping of those planted out last month, and see that plants in bloom are impregnated regularly. The best time for this is at mid-day, when the pollen is most likely to be well developed. The amount and depth of soil for Melons planted now should be more than for early crops. Do not over-water crops which are fully swollen, especially should the weather be dull and damp, or the fruits may crack. Whenever they begin to change colour, expose them as much as possible to the sun. Give more air, and lessen the moisture in the soil, but do not dry them off to such an extent as will injuriously effect the leaves; for Melons can never be properly finished unless the foliage be retained in health. Syringe young growing plants at shutting-up time, and let the heat run up to about 90° for a time with sun-heat. Do not let the night temperature drop below 70°, nor exceed 75°.

Melon Forcing #8

Give plenty of air to ripening fruit, and just sufficient water to keep the plants fresh and active. Plant out more plants for supply of ripe fruit in August. Give them 10 inches depth of a good holding loam, with about a sixth part of rotten manure, and make it firm before planting. Syringe all plants, except those ripening their crops and setting, at shutting-up time when the weather is bright. Attend to the setting of fruit, and stop fruit-bearing shoots one or two joints beyond the fruit. Sow more seeds for succession crops.

Melon Forcing #9

Melon plants now swelling off crops will take much more water at the root than earlier in the season, and they must never be allowed to get a check for want of a proper supply. At the same time give good soakings when required, so that the soil be kept properly moist without frequent dribblets. Keep the surface of the soil covered with such as horse-droppings to nourish the crop and prevent more frequent waterings. A final watering should be given before the fruit begins to colour, so that the soil does not become over dry before the fruits are all cut. Remove all superfluous growth, and syringe the foliage every fine afternoon up to the time the fruit begins to ripen, after which keep it dry, and expose the fruit as much as possible to the sun. Attend to the impregnation of succession crops, and plant and sow for late crops.