360 THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. [MAY. 



they must be thinned, leaving only three of the strongest in each 

 hole, drawing a little earth about their stems, and giving a light 

 watering, to settle it close to the roots. 



When the plants have two rough leaves, they must be stopped 

 or topped, as directed in page 113, which see. This operation is 

 very necessary to throw them into a fruiting state, before they run 

 tcomuch into vine. 



As the plants advance in growth, they must have gentle and fre- 

 quent waterings, and plenty of air admitted, by the raising of the 

 glasses on props; under which, suffer them to run out, as they in- 

 crease in growth. The glasses may be totally taken off about the 

 end of the month. 



Sowing Melons and Cucunders, in the cfien Ground. 



About the tenth of this month will be a good time, in the middle 

 states, to sow a general crop of Melons, in the open ground ; from 

 a week to a month earlier, to the southward, according to the re- 

 spective situations ; and between the fifteenth and twentieth, in the 

 eastern states. It is remarked that musk and watermelons, cu- 

 cumbers, pumpkins, squashes, gourds, and all the varieties of these 

 families, may be sown, at the periods in which people generally 

 plant Indian corn ; but in order to have them as early as possible 

 in the open ground, a few patches may be sown ten days or more, 

 before the dates above mentioned ; which with good care may suc- 

 ceed very well, especially if the season proves favourable. 



For the varieties of the Musk or Cantaleupe Melons, prepare a 

 piece of rich sandy ground, well exposed to the sun ; manure it and 

 give it a good digging, then mark it out into squares of six feet 

 every way ; at the angle of every square, dig a hole twelve inches 

 deep and eighteen over, into which put seven or eight inches deep, 

 of old hot-bed dung, or very rotten manure ; throw thereon about 

 four inches of earth, and mix the dung and earth well with the 

 spade, after which, draw the remainder of the earth, over the mixture 

 so as to form a round hill, about a foot broad at top. Some people 

 vise hot stable dung, under an idea that its heat would promote the 

 vegetation of the seed ; this is a mistaken notion, as in a few hours 

 it loses all it had, for want of a sufficient quantity being together, 

 to promote fermentation, and becomes a dryish wisp, unfit, at least, 

 for the present, to afford either heat or nourishment to the plants. 



When- your hills are all prepared as above, plant in each, towards 

 the c'ciitre, eight or nine grains of good melon seed, distant two 

 inches from one another, and cover them about half an inch deep. 



When the plants are up and in a state of forwardness, producing 

 their rough leaves, they must be thinned to two or three in each 

 hill, the extra number in some, may serve to fill up deficiencies in 

 others: draw earth, from time to time, round the hills, and as high 

 about the roots of the plants as the seed leaves ; when fit, stop- 

 them as directed in page 115 ; after which, keep the ground, by 

 hoeings, perfectly free from weeds,. 



