The Culture of Vegetables 



MELON 



Cucumis Melo 



THE popularity of this cool and delicious fruit has in recent years 

 been greatly enhanced by increased knowledge as to the best method 

 of treating the plant, and also by the introduction of several varieties 

 which are attractive in form and superb in flavour. It would shock 

 a modern Melon eater to be advised to cook a Melon, and flavour it 

 with vinegar and salt, as in the early days of English gardening. A 

 good Melon of the present day does not even need the aid of sugar ; 

 the beauty, aroma, and flavour are such that it is not unusual for the 

 epicure to push the luscious Pine aside in order to enjoy this cool, 

 fresh, gratifying fruit that delights without cloying the palate. The 

 newer varieties are remarkable alike for fruitfulness and high quality, 

 and are somewhat hardier than the favourites of years gone by. 



The Melon is grown in much the same way as the Cucumber, but 

 it differs in requiring a firmer soil, a higher temperature, a much 

 stronger light, less water, and more air. It may be said that no man 

 should attempt to grow Melons until he has had some experience in 

 growing Cucumbers. As regards this point, the hard and fast line is 

 useless, but Cucumber-growing is certainly a good practical prepara- 

 tive for the higher walk wherein the Melon is found. But Cucumbers 

 are grown advantageously all the winter through ; Melons are not. 

 The former are eaten green, and the latter are eaten ripe ; this makes 

 all the difference. Melons that are ripened between October and 

 May are seldom worth the trouble bestowed upon them ; therefore 

 we shall say nothing about growing Melons in winter. 



The Frame Culture may advantageously begin about the 

 middle of March by the preparation of a good hot-bed. It is best to 

 use a three-light frame, as the heat will be more constant than with- 

 one of smaller size. There should be six loads of stuff laid up for 

 the bed, and the turning should be sufficient to take out the fire, with- 

 out materially reducing the fermenting power. Begin a fortnight in 

 advance of making up the bed, and be careful at every stage to do 

 things well, as advised for the cultivation of frame Cucumbers. The 

 best soil for Melons is a firm, turfy loam. In a clay district, a cer- 

 tain amount of clay, disintegrated by frost, may be chopped over with 

 turfy loam from an old pasture. If the soil is poor, decayed manure 

 may be added, but the best possible Melons may be grown in a 

 fertile loam without the aid of manures or stimulants of any kind. 



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