CUCURBITACEZ. 
frames. Give occasionally a very light watering, when the 
earth appears dry. As the plants advance into the first rough 
leaves, the first runner-bud in the centre should be stopped, 
by cutting or pinching the top off, close to the first or second 
joint, an operation which strengthens the plants, and promotes 
a lateral issue of fruitful runners. Be careful to support a 
regular tenor of heat in the bed, by laying first an outward 
casing of straw-litter round the sides, to defend it from the 
weather; afterwards, if the heat declines, remove the above 
casing, and apply a moderate lining of hot dung to one or 
more of the sides. In matting at night, be careful not to drive 
the rank steam of the linings into the beds, by letting the ends 
of the mats hang down.” 
Fruiting-bed.—Form it as directed for the cucumber-bed, but 
6 inches deeper. M(‘Phail says, ‘ 4 feet high, and after it has 
stood about a week, tread it down, and make it level, and set 
the frames upon it.” 
Moulding the bed.—Abercrombie directs to ‘ mould it by 
degrees to 8, 10, or 12 inches’ depth, first laying the compost 
in little hills of that thickness, one under each light, with the 
intervals earthed only 2 or 3 inches for the present, till the 
general heat is moderated.” M‘Phail lays in, under each light, 
a small hill of earth about 1 foot high. 
Planting.—When the earth of the hills is warmed by the heat 
of the bed, and the plants have leaves 2 or 3 inches broad, 
or have begun to push Jateral runners, turn them out of the pots, 
with the ball of earth entire; set a ball containing one plant in 
the middle of each hill, inserted clean over the ball; or set at 
most 2 plants under the centre of a large light. After planting, 
give a gentle watering over the hills and round the roots, 
avoiding to wet the shanks of the plants; shut down the glasses 
close, till the heat and steam arise, then give air moderately. 
Extend a slight shade over the glasses in the middle part of 
warm summer days, if the plants shrink or flag their leaves 
before fully rooted in the hills, which they will be in 2, 3, or 4 
days after planting.” 
Temperature.—* The melon requires a minimum heat of about 
65° from the time of germination till the fructification, and the 
heat of about 75° to fruit in.’—Abercrombie. M‘Phail, as 
appears from the table in his “ Gardener’s Remembrancer,” 
kept his melon and cucumber frames at the same temperature ; 
Stating, that if any person kept melon or cucumber plants in 
the same degrees of heat, they will not fail of success. Nicol’s 
medium heat for melons is 70°. The proper temperature must 
be kept up by repeated linings, at least till the middle of July. 
After that, sun-heat may suffice to ripen the crop. Till this 
season the greatest care is necessary not to burn or overheat 
the plants. M‘Phail says, “ examine daily with your hand the 
heat of the bed, pushing your fingers into the dung imme- 
diately under the hills of earth in which the plants grow ; and if 
you find the heat likely to be too powerful, pour cold water all 
round the bottom of the hills of earth, to lower the heat of 
the bed. Remember this must be daily attended to till the 
heat of the bed be so declined in the middle, that the roots of 
the plants be in no danger of being hurt by the heat of the 
dung under them. In case this necessary precaution has been ne- 
glected, till the heat immediately under the stems of the plants has 
become too hot, pour plenty of water 80° warm round about the 
sides of the hills in which the plants grow, and among the stems of 
the plants, which will bring the earth and dung immediately under 
the plants to the same degree of heat as the water which is 
poured into it. When the heat in the middle of the bed be- 
comes so cool that there is no fear of its being too great for 
the roots of the plants, watering that part of the bed to keep 
the burning heat down of course must cease, and as the roots 
of the plants extend, earth may be added to the hills. As 
VOL. III. 
IV. Cucumis, 9 
soon as the heat of the bed declines, linings must be applied 
to it, which will set it into a fresh fermentation, and then the 
surface upon the bed must be examined occasionally, by push- 
ing the hand into it in different parts, and when a burning heat 
is felt, pour in some water as before directed. In this way you 
should persevere, still keeping a strong heat in the linings. 
Remember that the surface of the bed all round about the hills 
should be left uncovered with earth, and the dung should be 
loosened occasionally, to let the heat rise freely to nourish the 
plants.” In July, “ melons will do without heat in the linings, 
but I found by experience that they do best by keeping a heat 
in the linings all the summer. If a heat be kept on constantly 
in the linings, and the plants watered sufficiently, they will 
continue to produce fruit till the middle of October.” 
Air.—As long as weak steam is perceived to rise from the 
bed, leave an aperture, even at night, for it to escape; guard- 
ing against the influx of cold air by a curtain of matting. 
Admit fresh air to the plants by tilting the glasses more or less 
at the most favourable hours ina dry day. After the bed has 
come to a sweet heat, shut down close at night. As the fruit 
enlarges, it becomes more necessary to seize every proper 
opportunity of admitting air; raising the lights from 1 to 4 
inches, according to the season, the heat of the bed, and tem- 
perature of the external air, shutting close if that should turn 
cold, and always timely towards evening. As confirmed summer 
approaches, admit air still more freely. Nicol says,“ air should 
be freely admitted, though not in such quantity as for the cu- 
cumbers, which do not require so high a temperature as melons 
do. In sunshine, however, the mercury in the thermometer 
should be kept down, by the admission of air to about 80° or 
75°.” M*‘Phail says, “ look into your melon-pits in the morn- 
ing, and if there is a dew on them, standing like beads round 
the edges of the young leaves, it is a good sign; but if there is 
no dew on them, in the form I have described, they are not 
in a very prosperous condition. The air in the frames is not 
sweet; they either want water or sprinkling of water, or else 
the heat of the air in the frames is too great in the night. In 
hot weather melons are better to have air left at them all night, 
and in very warm weather to take the glasses entirely off in the 
evening, and put them on again in the morning: by this means 
the plants will get refreshment from the dew in the night.” 
Water.—After the plants are placed on the hills, give oppor- 
tunely gentle waterings, increasing them as the season and the 
growth of the plants advance. “ Water circumspectly and 
scantily while the fruit is setting or young in growth, as 
too much moisture would make it decay. Take a warm morn- 
ing for watering before the middle of May; in summer the 
afternoon or evening. Use soft water warmed to the air of the 
frame, and let as little as possible fall on the setting or new set 
young fruit; nor much near the main head of the plants, for 
fear of rotting that part. Shut down the lights after watering 
for a short time; and if in the morning part, and a strong sun, 
spread a mat over, to prevent the sun from injuring the plants 
by acting on the water lodged on the spray of the leaves. As a 
strong steam will now arise, remove the mats in an hour or two, 
and raise the glasses at the top, to give vent to the steam and 
give air to the plants. As the fruit becomes nearly ripe, lessen 
the quantity of water given, barely keeping the plant from 
flagging, and withhold water when the fruit begins to turn 
colour.” Nicol says, “ water once in 4 or 5 days in the after- 
noon, watering over the foliage. Repeat the waterings oftener, 
as the season and the growth of the plants and fruit advance, in 
order to swell them out the better.”—Kalendar, p. 387. M‘Phail 
says, “ If the weather is warm and dry, the melons will pro- 
bably sometimes require water twice a week; if the weather 
is wet and cloudy, they will not require it so often,” —Gard. 
