192 OF RAISING' MELONS. SECT. XIV. 



examined and rubbed in a '"dry cloth, and it may be kepi 

 for feveral years. 



OF RAISING MELONS. 



See Melon in the next Serf ion. 



■ MELONS are raifed much in the fame way as cu- 

 cumbers. They mould not, however, be thought of 

 fo early, and from the middle of February to the middle 

 of March will (for moft perfons) be foon enough to 

 fow them. The place where they are cultivated mould 

 be well (heltered, fo that winds may blow over the 

 frames, as mentioned in the directions about hot-beds. 

 They require a ftronger foil to grow in than cucum- 

 bers, and more heat, both at bottom and top, and need 

 lefs water : they take up more room, fo that one plant, 

 or at moll two, will be enow under one full fized light. 

 Cucumbers may be raifed on a feed bed till fit to plant 

 out on the fruit bed ; but melons will (generally t 

 leaf!) require an intermediate bed. During the whole- 

 time of the cultivation of melons, (till high fummer) 

 they mult have a lively bottom heat, in order to bring 

 them forward, and fucceed well; and, if melons are late, 

 as foon as September enters, a lining of hot dung may be 

 put to the bed, to afford feme degree of heat to the 

 outer roots, as an equivalent to the failure of the foafoa. 

 Melons never do well in a lhady fummer. As cucum- 

 bers are about three months coming in, fo meldus are 

 about four. The}' fet their fruit in about two months, 

 and are about the fame time in ripening, though forty 

 days will fomctimes effect it. 



The fed oi melons (procured from well ripened and 

 fine fla\ oured fruit; mould be about lour years old, 

 though fome prefer it much older, as judging it fo much 

 the leis likely to run to vine: II it is too old, however, 



it 



