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THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



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happens even in May. When the beds are made up in the 

 manner here directed, and the vines have extended so far as 

 to fill the frames, and want more room, the frames should be 

 raised about three inches upon bricks, to admit the shoots of 

 the vines to run from under them ; for if the plants be strong, 

 they will run six or seven feet each way from the stems, and 

 ought therefore to have room allowed them. On this account 

 only one plant should be put in each light ; for when the vines 

 are crowded, the fruit will seldom set well, but will often drop 

 off when they are about the size of an egg ; neither should 

 the frames be small, but about six feet wide, for the wider 

 they are, the better the plants will thrive, and the more fruit 

 they will produce. Pruning and Management of the Plants. 

 Mr. Miller observes, that there is no part of gardening in 

 which practitioners differ more than in this : indeed, he says, 

 rules laid down in books, and the different methods pursued 

 by different individuals, have appeared so absurd to him, 

 that no one that follows them ought to expect to succeed. 

 Having before advised the pinching off the ends of the plants 

 to produce lateral shoots, and their tops to force out more 

 runners, after a sufficient number are put out, the fruit 

 should be waited for, which will soon come out in abun- 

 dance ; at which time the vines should be carefully looked 

 over two or three times a week, to observe the fruit, and 

 make choice of one upon each runner, which is situated 

 nearest the stem, having the largest footstalk, and appearing 

 to be the strongest fruit : then immediately pinch off all the 

 other fruit which may appear upon the same runner, and 

 also the end of the runner at the third joint above the fruit 

 and if the runner be gently pinched at the next joint above 

 it, that will stop the sap, and set the fruit. Those who are 

 so covetous of having a number of fruit, as not to suffer any 

 to be taken off, generally fail in their expectation, for one 

 fruit is as much as a single plant can properly nourish. As 

 the pinching the three joints of the runners above the fruit 

 will cause fresh runners to come out a little below the places 

 where the others were pinched, the vines should be care- 

 fully looked over, to stop these new runners soon after they 

 come out, as well as to pull the superfluous young fruit 

 which will appear ; and this must be tepeated as often as 

 necessary, which will be until those intended to stand are 

 grown so large as to draw off all the nourishment which the 

 plants can supply, for then the plants will begin to abate of 

 their vigour. These few directions, if properly made use of, 

 is all the pruning that will be necessary ; they will only want 

 to be watered at a distance from their stems, which will assist 

 in setting the fruit, and cause it to swell ; but this must be 

 done with great caution. They should have as much air as 

 possible in warm seasons, and in alterations of heat to cold 

 should have their extremities covered every night with mats. 

 Culture under Hand or Bell Glasses. The plants must be 

 raised in the same manner as the preceding.: and at the latter 

 end of April, in forward seasons, the beds should be made of 

 a quantity of hot dung in proportion to their intended number. 

 They must not be placed nearer than four feet apart, or the 

 vines will not have room to run without entangling, which 

 will fill the bed so closely as to prevent the fruit from set- 

 ting. The bed should be made as above directed. If the 

 plants intended for them be in pots, one only should be put 

 under each glass ; if not in pots, two, one of which may be 

 afterwards removed, if both should happen to grow. They 

 must be watered at first planting, to settle the earth to their 

 roots, and shaded every day until they have taken new root ; 

 but if the nights be cold, it will be proper to cover the glasses 

 with mats, to preserve the warmth of the bed. After they 

 have taken root, they must be treated as directed for plants 



under frames. It must however be remarked, that as the 

 Cantaleupe is very impatient of wet, the beds where it is 

 raised must be arched over with hocps, to support the mats, 

 and defend them at all times from the rain, which is the only 

 means of ensuring their success in our variable climate ; for 

 Melons under these glasses, in as fine order as possible, have 

 been destroyed totally by one day's heavy rain in June. 

 Water must be given them with great caution, and never 

 applied to their stems. Raising under Paper Covers. Many 

 persons, of late years, have raised Melons under oiled paper, 

 and have often succeeded very well ; but care must be taken 

 not to keep the covering too close over them, in whk-h case the 

 vines draw up weak, and rarely set their fruit in any plenty. 

 Mr. Miller, therefore, advises the bringing up of the plants 

 under hand or bell glasses, in the manner before directed, 

 until they are grown far enough to let them out from under 

 the glasses, and then, instead of the covering with mats, to 

 cover them with oiled paper, which, if prudently managed, 

 will be the best that can be used The best sort of paper for 

 this purpose is that which is strong, and not of too dark a 

 colour, and it should be done over with linseed-oil, which 

 will dry soon. A proportionable number of these sheets of 

 paper should be pasted together, such as will spread to the 

 dimensions of the frame for which it is intended ; and if it 

 be fixed before the oil be rubbed over, it will be an improve- 

 ment, only observing that the paper should be oiled so long 

 before they are used, that the oil may be thoroughly dry. 

 and the stench gone off, otherwise it will destroy the plants. 

 Some persons make these frames of broad hoops, in imitation 

 of waggon-covers ; but as they are too cumbersome to move, 

 and have no convenience for admitting air to the plants, (ex- 

 cept by raising the whole frame on one side) frames made of 

 pantile laths, shaped like the ridge of a house, and each slope 

 having hinges by which each side may be raised at pleasure 

 to admit the air to the plants, should be preferred. Ma- 

 nagement after the Fruit is set. Continue to pinch off all 

 superfluous fruit, and weak runners ; turn the fruit gently 

 twice a week, that each side may have equal benefit of the 

 sun and air. The plants will only require a little water in dry 

 weather, once in a week or ten days will be sufficient, and 

 will encourage the growth of the fruit, and cause the flesh to 

 be thick ; but the great caution to be observed is, not to over- 

 water them, and to give them as much free air as possible 

 whenever the weather will permit, for this is absolutely 

 necessary to render the fruit good. Time of Cutting. When 

 the fruit is fully grown, they must be daily watched, to cut 

 them at the proper time ; for if left too long upon the ^ 

 they will lose much of their delicacy. They should be looked 

 over at least twice every day ; and if the fruit intended 

 for the table be cut early in the morning, before the sun 

 has warmed them, they will be much better flavoured ; but 

 should any of them be wanted in the course of the day, they 

 should be put into cold spring water, or ice, before they are 

 brought to the table : those cut in the morning should also 

 be kept in the coolest place possible until served up to table. 

 The sign of this fruit's maturity is, that of its beginning to 

 crack near the footstalk, and its beginning to smell, which 

 never fail ; for as the Cantaloupes seldom change their colour 

 until too ripe, that should never be waited for. The direc- 

 tions here given for the raising of the Cantaleupe, will answer 

 equally well for all the other sorts ; and are greatly superior 



to the common method of raising this delicious fruit. The 



seeds only are used in medicine, and not often, though they 

 are not destitute of virtues. They are very cooling, and 

 have a tendency to promote the urinary discharge," when 

 beaten into an emulsion with barley-water; they make an ex- 



