M E N 



M E N 



the quantityof hot-bed framing required, as from 

 two or three, to ten, twenty, or thirty frames, 

 or more; and sometimes also for hot-bed ridges 

 f >rhand-e;lasses in the same proportions. They 

 may of course be from two or three to five or 

 ten rods square, or to that of a quarter, or half 

 an are, or more; in which, besides the part im- 

 mediately allotted for the hot-beds, it is conve- 

 nient to have room for the previous preparation 

 of the dang, &c. as well as for compost, heaps 

 of earth, Sc. in preparation for earthing the 

 hot-beds. 



In respect to form, the most eligible shape is 

 that of square, either an equal or an oblongsquare. 



\VYien inclosed, the fences may be six, seven, 

 or eight feet high in the northerly or back part 

 and five or six in front, the sides corresponding, 

 though when extensive they may be nearly of 

 equal" height all round. 



The internal part, or immediate place for the 

 •hot-beds, even when dry, should be a little ele- 

 vated to throw off the falling wet of heavy rain, 

 &c. ; and when unavoidably low, or liable to be 

 wet in winter or spring, be raised, with some dry 

 materials, considerably above the general level, 

 that the hot -beds may stand dry, as well as to 

 afford advantage in performing the business of 

 culture. 



The ground for the immediate place of the 

 hot-beds may generally remain even or level : 

 some however form shallow trenches, the width 

 and length of the intended hot-beds, as from six 

 to twelve inches deep, and make the lower part 

 of the bed in the trench ; which, however, is 

 more proper in a dry or somewhat elevated si- 

 tuation than in low or wet ground, as water is 

 apt to settle in the bottom, and chill the beds, 

 occasioning the heat to decline suddenly. 



Besides, bv having the hot-beds wholly above- 

 ground, there is a better opportunity of ap- 

 plying the occasional linings quite from the 

 bottom upwards. See Garden, and Cucjjmis. 



By proper attention in the construction of the 

 different parts of these grounds and in the build- 

 ing of the fences, they may also be rendered 

 highly useful in raising; various kinds of fruit. 



MELON-THISTLE. See Cactus. 



MELOPF.PO. See Cucurbita. 



MEN I S PER MUM,a genus containing plants 

 of the hardy climbing kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Dioecia Do- 

 decahdria, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Sarmentacece . 



The characters are : that the male has the calyx 

 a two-leaved perianthium : leaf ets linear, short: 

 the corolla petals outer six , ovate, spreading, equal, 

 inner eight, obcordatc, concave, smaller than 

 the outer, four of them in the inner row wider : 



the stamina have sixteen filaments, cylindric, a 

 little longer than the corolla : anthers terminat- 

 ing, very short, bluntly four-lobed : female ; ca- 

 lyx and corolla as in the male : the stamina have 

 eight filaments, like those of the male: anthers 

 pellucid, barren : the pistillum has two or three 

 germs, ovate, curved inwards, converging, pedi- 

 celled : styles solitary, very short, recurved : 

 stigmas bifid, blunt : the pericarpium has two 

 or three berries, roundish -kidney-form^ one- 

 celled : the seeds solitary, kidney-form, large. 



The species cultivated are: 1. JSl. Canadense, 

 Canadian Moon-seed; 2. M. Virginicam, Vir- 

 ginian Moon-seed ; 3. M. Carolinian, Carolina 

 Moon-seed. 



The first has a thick woody root : the stems 

 many, climbing, becoming woody, and rising 

 to the height of twelve or fourteen feet, twisting 

 themselves about the neighbouring plants for 

 support : the leaves are large, smooth, with the 

 footstalk almost in the middle, and a hollow 

 there on the upper side : the flowers come out 

 in loose bunches from the side of the stem: 

 they are of an herbaceous colour, small, and 

 composed of two rows of oblong oval petals : 

 the stem twines in a direction contrary to the 

 sun's apparent motion, and is smooth and even. 

 It is a native of Canada, Sec, flowering in June 

 and July. 



The second species differs from the first in 

 the shape of the leaves, which are angular and 

 sometimes heart-shaped, but not peltate, having 

 the footstalk at the base: the stems become 

 woody, and rise nearly as high as those of the 

 first sort : they are round, slender, twining : 

 the leaves are alternate, bright green, the form, 

 colour and consistence of Ivy-leaves, on the 

 upper part of the stem entire, as on old Ivy ; 

 on the middle and lower part not unfrequently 

 angular, as in young Ivy ; although they have 

 very slender hairs on them, yet they have the 

 appearance of being smooth and shining, espe- 

 cially the younger leaves, for the older ones are 

 subhirsute and less shining ; underneath they 

 are of a paler green. The flowers and berries 

 differ little from the first sort. It is a native of 

 Virginia, &c. 



The third differs from the second sort in its 

 branches not becoming woody as in that : the 

 stems are herbaceous, the leaves entire and 

 hairy, and not more than half so large; nor is 

 the plant so hardy, so that it does not produce 

 flowers in this climate, unless the season be 

 very warm. It is a native of Carolina. 



Culture. — The first and second sorts are easih 

 propagated bv laying down the branches in the 

 autumn season, and when the layers have made 

 good roots, in the following autumn they may 



