SECT. XIV. OF RAISING MELONS. 197 



Melons may be watered moderately once a week, in 

 fair weather, or twice if fultry, especially if the mould 

 is light. Early in the feafon, water a little before 

 i\Ov)ii, and in high fummcr a little before evening. 

 When the fruit is jetting, and when getting towards 

 ripening, very little water mufl be given : be fure to 

 water the extremities of the roots, but avoid the (hunks, 

 particularly while the plants are young. A little 

 iprinkhng all over the leaves, when the plants get big-, 

 (but let not a hot fun ihine upon them at the time) 

 will greatly refreih them,, when it is not thought proper 

 to water the roots thoroughly, qxh account of the bed 

 being cool. Becaufe much wet is certainly injurious 

 fome gardeners keep their melons exceeding dry ; but 

 their leaves mould not ilir.v t^o much fign of drought*, 

 left the fruit ihrivel for want of moifture. Take czre 

 that the heat is kept up at the Jetting of the fruit, or it 

 will become yellow, and fall off. Preferve a good 

 bottom heat till about Mid-June. 



Melons Ihould not be. turned fo much about, as is the 

 practice oi fome gardeners, in order to ripen the fruit 

 all over ; for it hurts the Joot-Jialk, diflorting its velfeis 

 .that feed the melons, and fo preventing a proper di- 

 geftion of .the juices, and fome increafe of fize. 



The favour of a melon being preferable to the fize, 

 is the reafon why water is to be withheld (as much as 

 can be] when they are ripening: with it they will be- 

 come bigger, and fo appear finer; but what is quantity 

 without quality ? 



The young fruit need not be fully expofed to the 

 fun ; it had better be a little covered with leaves, for 

 much hot fun hardens the (kin, and prevents its proper 

 growth. When a melon has nearly attained its fize, 

 then, however, a full fun is neceffarv to ripen it. 



As to cutting the fruit, if it is to be fome days before 



a melon is eat, (as when carried to a diftance) it (houlrf 



.not be quite ripe. Its ripenejs is known by the high 



"colour, and ftrong odour, and the cracking of the Foot- 



K 3 italk ; 



