MELONS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



difference in the size or quality of the melon on account of age of seeds. Firm, inverted 

 sods, five inches square and two and three inches thick, were laid side and side over a well 

 prepared hot-bed and two seeds were inserted into each piece. The whole plane of these 

 inverted sods was dusted over with rich mould, which filled the interstices, and furnished 

 an uniform surface to the seeds. Another season fine charcoal dust will be substituted. 

 The advantages of the sod planting consist — in the selection of a southern and early ger- 

 minating exposure by barn or wall; in affording ample time during the germination of the 

 seed to prepare permanent beds; and in the specific quality of the turf in which the melon 

 delights. 



Beds. — The permanent beds or hills in the open ground were thus prepared, at inter- 

 vals of six feet from their centres. Circular holes were dug out of trenched ground to the 

 depth of twenty inches and two feet, Avith diameters varying from two to four feet. No 

 special advantage was gained from the larger diameters. The lower halves of the holes 

 were filled with equal parts of clay loam and fresh manure; the upper halves with the 

 same loam and old manure. A compost was then formed of equal thirds oi poudretted muck, 

 (a barrel of Lodi poudrette thoroughly incorporated with a cord of muck) — sand and 

 virgin earth or decomposed turf. This was spread above the filled holes forming hills, 

 about five inches high with diameters of four feet. In previous years ripe-manure was 

 applied instead of poudrette, with less satisfactory results. 



Transplanting. — When the cotyledon, or two earliest leaves, of the seeds were fully 

 developed, the sods were moved to their beds. Each sod was lifted with care, a broad 

 trowel or sharp thin spade being the most efiicient means for this purpose. The objec- 

 tions urged against this process, because of the sensitiveness of the plants when disturbed, 

 need not obtain in a single instance if the sods be thick and firm and be not wantonly 

 handled. Four sods were placed in each hill, about twelve or fourteen inches apart, form- 

 ing the corners of a square, thus affording room for the free extension of the vines. If 

 two plants were growing in a sod, as soon as the vigor of the major plant was determined, 

 the weaker one was destroyed, allowing four vines to the hill. 



Mulch. — Long litter has been my favorite mulch for years. This was freely applied 

 until it filled the intervals between the hills quite close to the plants. The moisture of 

 the earth was thus preserved, and, after a few rains, a clean, bleached surface of straw 

 was furnished for the maturing melons. Foreign gardeners prefer flat stones to the bleach- 

 ed straw, and in nursing large specimens for exhibition or seed they will answer. This 

 question evoked the following experiment. Two hills were carefully prepared, and planted 

 with equal numbers of a hybrid of green Ilosainee and Borneo melons. The one was 

 mulched with long manure; the other was paved with stones. Both plantations, from 

 their exposed situation, suffered from parching drouth. The long litter gained the preference. 



In-heading. — I have followed the practice, which has obtained with careful growers, 

 of pinching off the first blossom buds, which undoubtedly adds to the increase of lateral 

 shoots, the vigor of the whole plant, and the size of the fruit. 



Bugs. — Who can enumerate the expedients advised to extirpate these venomous pests! 

 Snuff, tobacco water, soot, guano, lime, ashes, and the like have been essayed, and suc- 

 ceeded for the most part only when their too acrid form destroyed the plants! The cu- 

 cumber flea-beetle {Ilaltica pubescens,) a hopping little black demon, generally infests the 

 plants on the maturing of the cotyledon. I have temporarily succeeded in debarring the 

 insects of this class from their plunder, by placing around the plants a cordon or circle 

 of plaster of Paris well sprinkled with spirits of turpentine. The rapid evaporation of 

 the turpentine, however, rendered its frequently required repetition too troublesome. 



