300 



AN ACCOUNT OF SOME HYBIUD Mr.I.ONS. 



gratification of the eye than that of the palate ; and the demand 

 for bouquets seems to have absorbed the faculties of gardeners, 

 and to have left fruits to the operations of chance. It may be 

 also remarked that, unless masters and mistresses exiiibit some 

 interest in the operations carried on in the garden, and a desire 

 to possess its products in perfection, gardeners lose heart, and 

 become naturally careless of what their employers neglect. 

 Many Iiave pride in having fine gardens and forcing-houses, who 

 know nothing whatever about gardening, and can scarcely dis- 

 tinguish an apple-tree from a peach-tree ; and it is probable that 

 there is less taste for horticultural pursuits evinced now than 

 formerly. More rational pursuits than those of horticulture 

 cannot be recommended to the young; for it requires an acquaint- 

 ance with some branches of science to make a good gardener. 

 No pursuits are more gratifying to the senses, as there is scarcely 

 a dish sent to the dinner table that does not owe something to 

 the garden for its relish. Perhaps I may be somewhat too 

 enthusiastic in this matter, as I confess I talce as much interest 

 in a turnip as in a peach, and like to have good vegetables about 

 my piece of boiled beef, as well as fine fruit at my dessert. To 

 revive a due taste for horticultural pursuits, to infuse more of the 

 useful into them, as well as to gratify the eye, is not in my 

 power; but if operative gardeners would press their enjployers to 

 attend more to improvement, and to seek for the best kinds of 

 everything desirable, and to exert themselves to procure every- 

 thing of the best qualify, it is probable that the value of good 

 gardeners would be better understood, and what they produce 

 more liiglily appreciated. 



In order to contribute, in some small degree, to extend interest 

 in horticulture, I now proceed to narrate the histoiy of some 

 Hybrid Melons, which I think will be reckoned interesting and 

 curious, even by those who know but little of the habits with 

 which the Creator has endowed the vegetable world for our 

 gratification. 



The chief distinction among melons is, that some have flesh 

 coloured by various shades of red, some green flesh of diflTerent 

 shades, and some white. The flavour of the red and green sorts 

 is different and characteristic, and both, as well as the white, 

 vary in the richness and agreeableness of flavour, and in juiciness ; 

 juice being generally far more abundant in the green sorts. A 

 good many years ai;o it occurred to me that I might improve the 

 red sorts by crossing w ith the green. Accordingly I impreg- 

 nated the blossom of a red melon, the name of which has escaped 

 me, with the Beechwood. From the seeds of the impregnated 

 Melon A, I obtained several varieties ; but I thought none worth 

 preserving but one, which had both red and green flesh, the latter 



