THE SUREST MODE OF GROWING MELONS. 



4S1 



attention, which a hot-bed demands earlier 

 in the season. 



In order to be able to remove the young 

 plants, at the proper time, from the frame 

 to the open hills where they are to grow, 

 the seeds must be sown on sods. This is 

 at once the cheapest and the best of all 

 modes of raising seedlings, to be trans- 

 planted; because the planting in sod is taken 

 up and replanted with all the roots upon it, 

 which are not in the least disturbed. 



Choose any mellow piece of turf, and cut 

 the sods in uniform pieces, six inches square 

 and two or three inches thick. Lay these 

 squares of sod side by side, with the grass 

 side downwards, so as to cover the surface 

 of the soil inside the frame. They should, 

 (to facilitate after removal,) be placed about 

 half an inch apart, so as to be the more 

 easily detached by-and-by. Next, cover 

 them about an inch and a half deep, with 

 some of the richest garden soil at your 

 command. Then take a stick and make 

 lines on the surface of the soil, exactly cor- 

 responding to the squares of the sods be- 

 low the soil. This will tell you exactly 

 where to plant the seeds. 



As every one of these little squares of 

 sods will form one hiil of melons when 

 transplanted, sow the seeds in the soil 

 which covers them accordingly; that is, 

 plant six or eight seeds to each square, and 

 then thin out, when the plants form their 

 rough leaves, to four plants. 



We have said that no manure or bottom 

 heat is necessary. The warmth of the sun, 

 indeed, is such that, in bright days, you 

 will have to open the frames for a couple 

 of hours or more, in order not to bring the 

 plants on too rapidly, — keeping them cover- 

 ed at night, and in all unfavorable weather. 



About the 20th of May, or as soon as the 

 plants have formed two strong rough leaves, 



and the season is become warm and set- 

 tled, prepare the hills ihorouglily, where 

 the melons are to grow, by manuring and 

 trenching them deeply. Choose a moist 

 day; and comcnencing on one side of the 

 frame, slip the blad^ of a spade or trans- 

 planting trowel under one of the squares of 

 sod. As you raise it up, place your hand 

 under it, and you will find that it can be 

 lifted up and carried to any part of the 

 garden, without in the least disturbing the 

 roots of the plants. Now open the surface 

 of the hill, and pla?it the sod, watering it 

 gently, and drawing the earth around the 

 young plants. If done with even tolerable 

 cleverness, they will not feel the removal 

 in the least, (though melons are quite sus- 

 ceptible in their roots, and often fail en- 

 tirely on turning them out of pots.) The 

 sod itself gradually decomposes, furnishing 

 excellent soil for the roots. 



The plants should have been previously 

 prepared for the open air, by gradually ex- 

 posing them to the weather day and night, 

 (leaving them uncovered with glass.) for a 

 few days previous to the removal. 



We find no difficulty whatever with the 

 striped-bug, in this mode of growing melons. 

 The plants are kept covered for the greater 

 part of the time, while they are in the ten- 

 der stage, and the insects do not find their 

 way to them till the leaves are too rough to 

 be palatable. The cold winds of the early 

 part of the season, which frequently so far 

 check melons, sown in the open ground, a- 

 to greatly injure the crop, are by this mode 

 completely guarded against. 



A common two-light frame, made in this 

 rough way, will give giants enough to sup- 

 ply a moderate family fully with melons ; 

 and those who have experienced any of the 

 difficulties we have pointed out, may make 

 a trial of this mode the present season. 



Vol. hi. 



31 



