WATER MELON. 75 



in Europe, which do not succeed in this country; the gar- 

 dener should, therefore, plant only such as have been tested 

 and found to produce good fruit here, or our superior old 

 sorts may become degenerate. After a judicious selection 

 is made, if caution be not used to plant the different sorts 

 remote from each other, and from Cucumbers, Squashes, and 

 Gourds, degeneracy will infallibly be the consequence. To 

 prevent the ravages of flies, &c., see General Remarks, pages 

 19 and 20. 



WATER MELON. 

 MELON D'EAU. Cucurbita citrullus. 



VARIETIES. 



New Jersey. I Goodwin's Imperial. 



Carolina. Citron, for preserves. 



THE Water Melon, though by some considered a species 

 of the former, is a distinct genus of exotic plants. They 

 afford a very refreshing article of luxury in our warm sum- 

 mers. Dr. Pallas, in the account of his journey to the 

 southern provinces of Russia, in 1793 and '94, speaking of a 

 colony of Moravians in Sarepta, or Sapa, on the River Volga, 

 says, " The ingenious inhabitants of this town brew a kind 

 of beer from their very abundant and cheap Water Melons, 

 with the addition of Hops ; they also prepare a conserve or 

 marmalade from this fruit, which is a good substitute for 

 syrup or treacle." 



In order to have Water Melons in perfection, you must 

 fix upon a piece of very rich light soil ; prepare, plant and 

 manage it in every respect as is directed for Musk Melon, 

 only, let the hills be seven or eight feet distant every way. 

 One ounce of seed will plant from forty to fifty hills. 



