THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



77 



introduced the musk melons into England 

 about 1524. In the time of James L, 

 John Parkinson tells us the melon v.'as 

 eaten with pepper, salt, and wine about 

 1625. Melons appear to have been espe- 

 cial favourites of James I. " I have sent," 

 says Sir Henry Wotton, writing from 

 Venice, in 1622, " the choicest melon- 

 seeds of all kinds, which his Majesty doth 

 expect." About 1727, melons were_cut at 

 the end of April, which before were rare 

 in the middle of June. 



It is my intention to make a few ob- 

 servations upon the old method of grow- 

 ing melons upon dung-beds with common 

 frames, as I think it very little inferior to 

 any other method, unless it be by hot- 

 water pits. When melons are not wanted 

 to be very early I should recommend the 

 seed to be sown at the beginning of Janu- 

 ary, and set in the stove, where there is 

 one ; if not a stove, a hot-bed must be 

 prepared for a one-light box to raise the 

 plants upon and prepare them for the 

 fruiting-bed. I consider the following a 

 reasonable size for a three-light frame, 

 viz., eleven feet long by six feet wide, two 

 feet deep at the back, and one foot four 

 inches deep in front. When the plants 

 are showing their rough leaves they may 

 be stopped, to make them break into side- 

 shoots. The bed to fruit them in must be 

 prepared with well-fermented horse-dung 

 and leaves, if leaves can be procured, as 

 they keep the bed from heating too vio- 

 lently, and continue the heat much longer. 

 The bed ottght to be a foot larger than the 

 frame each way, and about three feet and 

 a-half high at the back, and three feet in 

 front, with a goo 1 layer of leaves upon the 

 top, as they are much sweeter than dung. 



Put the frame upon it, and a heat-stick 

 inside ; when the heat is considered suf- 

 ficiently mild to receive the plants, make a 

 good-sized hill under the centre of each 

 light, and let it remain until next day, so 

 that the soil may get wanned before the 

 plants are put in. As they grow, train 

 them to the front and back of the frame. 

 When they get near the sides of the frame 

 stop them by pinching the end of each 

 bine, which makes them throw out side- 

 shoots, which will generally produce fruit. 

 Should they not show fruit, stop them all 

 at the first joint, and they are sure to show 

 iruit next time they push, which ought to 

 be impregnated as they come into flower. 

 If this is attended to, a good crop may be 

 expected to set. The best soil to grow the 

 melon in is sti'ong loam from a pasture 

 with the turf upon it, laid up in a heap 

 and chopped down when wanted, but not 

 broken small when put into the frame. 

 When the roots of the plants are pushing 

 through the hills, make them into a ridge, 

 and, as the heat begins to decline, add 

 linings to the bed, and when it is necessary 

 to fill the frame with soil, press it firmly 

 clown. The soil ought to be eighteen 

 inches deep at least, and to allow of this 

 the frame may be raised by putting soil 

 upon the linings, which will encourage the 

 roots to go outside the frame. Water 

 them in the morning in the early part of 

 the season ; but, when the weather becomes 

 hot, then water about half-an-hour be- 

 fore the sun goes off the frame, in the 

 evening, and shut them up close; it will 

 cause a brisk, moist heat all night. The 

 heat at all times ought not to be less 

 than 70'. J. Howlett. 



Abbey Gardens, Ramsey. 



CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE BALSAM. 



This old favourite plant should not be 

 sown too early, as it can be bloomed in a 

 very short time. I think it best to sow 

 three or four times during the season — 

 first in April, then in May for the general 

 show, June twice for succession. Sow the 

 seed thinly and evenly over the surface of 

 the pot, pan, or box used for the purpose ; 

 sprinkle or sift soil over enough to well 

 cover it ; as soon as the plants are up, 

 give air freely, without lowering the tem- 

 perature below 60"" ; when the plants are 

 strong enough, prick them out round the 

 sides of pots, about two inches apart, it 

 mattering but little what sized pot it is ; 

 let the seed leaves be not more than one 



inch above the surface, using rather light 

 soil in their young growth ; when the plants 

 are strong enough, pot them singly in 

 60-sized pots, lowering them into the 

 soil, so that the first or seed-leaves be 

 not more than one inch from the surface 

 of the soil ; as they grow up, sink the pots 

 in the tan-bed or leaf-bed, which I find 

 do quite as well as tan, as they do not re- 

 quire a powerful heat ; when the plants 

 have grown strong, repot them in 4-inch 

 pots ; raise the frame, so that the plants 

 do not quite touch the glass ; as soon a3 

 the roots begin to form round the sides of 

 the last pots, they mu?t be removed to 

 pots of six inches diameter, and be still 



