206 OF RAISING SlElQNS: SECT. 



a second bed, to be ready in a week, ten days, or a 

 fortnight, (as circumstances dictate) that so the 

 young plants may receive no check through a decline 

 of heat in the bed where they are. This bed should 

 be stronger than the seed-bed, and rather for a two- 

 light frame ; and being moulded as soon as it can be, 

 not to burn, set the pots in, about an inch deep, and 

 in a day or two draw a little mould up round them, 

 and so on again. But if the first bed is warm enough 

 to hold the plants longer, the heat of this second bed 

 (if violent) may be suffered to evaporate a little 

 more. Here they are to grow till in the second rough 

 leaf, when the plants should be stopped, as directed 

 for cucumbers. 



The third, or fruiting bed, is to be (observed) 

 ready by a few days after the time of this stopping 

 ' the plants. It should be a strong bed, of four feet 

 thick, and for a three-light frame, and made the 

 higher, the more strawy the dung is. As soon as 

 the burning heat is sufficiently abated, let the bed be 

 covered all over with good dry melon mould (the 

 best is a rich moderately strong loam) three or four 

 inches, and heaps made under each Mght of about 

 fourteen inches depth. Melons do not fruit well in 

 a light mould, but yet it should not be a heavy one. 

 If the mould is too light, let it be pressed a little to- 

 gether to give it consistence. 



To a fresh maiden soil, or good earth from the 

 kitchen garden, that is known to be in heart, (by 

 the strength of the plants it has produced) add about 

 one fourth, or one third, of well consumed dung, and 

 it makes a good compost, but it must be completely 

 incorporated by frequent turning and exposing to 

 sun and air, and kept by some means dry, as under 

 "a shed, &c. as directed for cucumbers. Much de- 

 pends on the melons growing in a good soil, and 

 rather a strong one. 



