THE MELON. 79 
heat is necessary in frames and pits than in the house. 
For these latter, when grown in pots, it is a good plan 
to have one flow-and-return three-inch pipe once round 
the pit above the surface, or even a two-inch pipe would 
do. Such a thing is very inexpensive: two-inch pipe 
costs but ls. 6d. per foot. That would be 41. 10s., 
elbows and all, for a pit 30 feet long; and the whole 
cost of the boiler and everything would not be more 
than 9/., or perhaps 10/., including the fixing. These 
surface pipes are very beneficial for early Melon grow- 
ing in pits. 
The bottom heat must arise from a well-made bed 
of stable manure and leaves well mixed and well 
packed in, forming a tight and compact bed not less 
than four feet deep for winter work. It is useless, or all 
but useless, to make a bed for early Melons except it is 
well made: one half leaves raked up in November, and 
one half fresh stable manure, I have found the best 
materials for making such a bed. There is no fear of 
too strong a heat arising, as is the case when all stable 
manure is used, nor do the materials require two or 
three weeks’ fermentation and turning previous to 
making the bed if a proportion of one half leaves is 
used. As soon as the heat is up to 60° the seeds or 
plants may be inserted. 
The angle at which a pit or frame should be con- 
structed for Melon growing may be regulated by the 
same principles as for the roof of the house used for 
the same purpose. For the first crop of early frame 
Melons a bed should be made up by the middle of 
January, and if two-inch pipes are used for surface heat, 
Melons may be had by the end of April or the begin- 
ning of May; but the pipes for the surface heat need 
