cue 



cue 



The chief insect that infests crops of this sort 

 is the aphis, which is readily destroyed by fumi- 

 gating with tobacco,, or in the manner advised 

 for the Peach. See Amtgdalus. 



Culture in the Melon Kind. — In the raising of 

 this sort of fruit, the same apparatus is neces- 

 sary as in the culture of the Cucumber ; but 

 it is better if the frames or pits have rather 

 more depth, and are somewhat larger in other 

 respects. 



The beds, for the early crops especially, should 

 be prepared in the same manner, and w"ith ma- 

 terials- of the same kind; but the later ones 

 may be produced in hot-beds formed of tanners' 

 bark, either wholly, or in a great part. 



Mr. Nicol thinks that they should be turfed 

 all over in a rather stronger manner, and covered 

 with a compost, consisting of one half of strong 

 brown loam, a quarter light black loam, an 

 eighth vegetable mould, and the same quantity 

 of stable-dung. 



The proper season for sowing the seed for the 

 very early crops is about the middle of January; 

 but the beginning of February is probably a bet- 

 ter period ; and sowings should be made twice in 

 March for succession crops. These different 

 sowings should be made on hot-beds, or in pots 

 of light mould plunged in hot-beds prepared for 

 the purpose, as in the Cucumber; or the pots 

 may be placed in such old hot-beds of that sort 

 as are at work, the- same care and management 

 being employed in the raising and nursing as in 

 those of the Cucumber kind. 



When the plants have attained five or six 

 weeks' growth, or have two or three rough leaves, 

 and are beginning to send forth runners, they 

 are in a proper state for being planted or ridged 

 out in the fruiting-beds, which should be pre- 

 pared in the same manner as in those for the 

 Cucumber plants : and after being well moulded 

 over, the pots of plants put in with the full balls 

 of earth about their roots, exactly in the same 

 way as was practised for Cucumbers, immediately 

 placing the glasses over them. 



After this the plants should have air admitted 

 pretty freely, and be kept in a moderate state 

 of moisture till they begin to show fruit, great 

 care being taken that the heat is not too great, 

 and to keep the beds as free of steam as possible; 

 but from that period, until the fruit is fully set 

 and has begun to swell, the waterings should be 

 more sparing, especially when theseasonismoist. 



As the heat in the beds begins to decline, it 

 should be refreshed by the application of linings, 

 in the same manner as practised for Cucumbers; 

 and the spaces between the hills of plants must 

 be gradually filled up with mould to nearly the 

 same height. 



As the runners proceed in their growth, they 

 should be trained in a regular manner; and 

 when they have three joints' length they must be 

 stopped. Some, however, stop them before, 

 when they first begin to put forth runners. By 

 these stoppings the vines are induced to throw 

 out lateral runners which afford fruit. Mr. 

 Nicol directs, that the vines that have fruit on 

 them should be shortened at the second joint 

 above it, and that such as have none should be 

 trained regularly to the length of seven or eight 

 joints and then stopped, to induce them to put 

 forth new vines, which mostly show fruit at the 

 second or third joint. It is of much importance 

 in this state of the plants to keep up a due de- 

 gree of heat, as they not only set much better 

 and more plentifully where it is the case, but 

 continue their growth in a more perfect man- 

 ner. The young fruit mostly shows itself with 

 numerous male blossoms : these should not be 

 picked off as is sometimes the practice, as 

 their farina is necessary for fecundating the fe- 

 male flowers, which in the early crops may be 

 performed in the manner directed for the Cu- 

 cumber. While the fruit is setting, air should 

 always be pretty freely admitted when the 

 weather is suitable. 



When the fruit is perfectly set, water should 

 be given in larger proportions till it has done 

 swelling and begins to become ripe, when it 

 should be very sparingly employed ; as where 

 given in too great abundance, the flavour of the 

 fruit is not only much impaired, but it is often 

 burst, and rendered less valuable. 



As the Melons increase in size, pieces of 

 slate or tile should be placed under each of 

 them, as it not only prevents their being in- 

 jured by the damp, but prevents their acquiring 

 an earthy flavour. It is the practice with some 

 to cover the whole surface with tiles or some 

 strawey or other similar substance, but this is 

 not by any means judicious, as the first causes 

 too much heat by the reflection that is produced, 

 and the latter not only confines the moisture, 

 but has a tendency to generate and harbour noxi- 

 ous insects. 



In the management of the vines as the fruit 

 approaches to the state of maturity, they should 

 not be suffered to retain too many leaves, nor 

 these permitted to shade it from the influence of 

 the sun. It is necessary to look over and ex- 

 amine them frequently, but never to prune them 

 too greatly at one time, as where that is done 

 the plants are apt to sustain much injury by 

 bleeding too much. Fresh air -should be con- 

 tinued to be admitted freely whenever the state 

 of the weather will allow. 



This sort of fruit generally becomes ripe m 



