420 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



always inferior to the French varieties, both in quality and especially 

 in the certainty of the crop. 



Quito Melon. Fruit small, oblong, scarcely larger than a hen's 

 egg, and citron-coloured when ripe ; flesh white and acidulous. 



Siam Netted Melon. Fruit nearly spherical, rather small ; 

 ribs tolerably well marked 

 and dark green, almost black 

 in the furrows, and covered 

 with close coarse network ; 

 flesh red. 



Siam Netted Melon. 



Green-fleshed Sugar Melon ( natural size). 



Green-fleshed Sugar Melon. A vigorous plant, with long 

 branching stems. Fruit oblong, narrowed at both ends, of a pale 

 green colour, finely netted when ripe, and bearing some pointed 

 protuberances ; ribs well marked, but not very prominent ; flesh of 

 a pale green colour, exceedingly melting and sweet. The length 

 of the fruit varies from about 9 to 1 1 in., with a diameter of 4 to 6 in. 

 It usually weighs from about four and a half to six and a half 

 pounds. Two, or even three, fruit may be grown on each plant. 



Early Green Japanese Melon. Fruit rather small, almost 

 spherical ; ribs regular, not prominent ; skin nearly smooth, slightly 

 downy, deep green, marked by a very few small tracings here and 

 there ; flesh red, firm, and perfumed. 



ENGLISH AND AMERICAN VARIETIES 



The English varieties of Netted Melons are very numerous. 

 In this country Melons are mostly grown with the aid of artificial 

 heat and more frequently as fruits than as vegetables. The varieties 

 cultivated are generally rather small, and usually are round-fruited 

 kinds with a very thin skin. Many of them do not succeed very 

 well when grown in the open air. 



