82 CULTURE OF THE MELON 



damp and foul air ; and as the melon, to be 

 grown to perfection, should not receive a check 

 from the expansion of the seed-leaves to matu- 

 rity, the system by which this may be easily done 

 is worthy attention. On the trellis plan the 

 grower has so far a control over the elements, 

 as to render his working operations simple and 

 certain not so on the dung-beds, where purity 

 of air is hardly obtainable at an early period. 



Such a bed as that recommended for raising 

 cucumber plants (see p. 3) will do for the melon 

 in every particular ; and the seeds for the first 

 crop should be sown on the 20th January, if it 

 be desired to cut fruit in May. The treatment 

 must be tire same as recommended when growing 

 plants for dung-beds, save that of stopping ; in 

 lieu of which, train the leading shoot till it is 

 ten inches high, which it will be about the 26th 

 of February ; when the plant will be ready to 

 put into the pit, and will there ripen fruit by the 

 6th of May, with proper management, if of the 

 early Canteleupe kind. A week previous to the 



