70 THE CULTURE OF VEGETABLES 



treatment it requires, and in part also owing to the improvement that 

 has been effected in the quality of the fruit. It would shock a 

 modern Melon eater to be advised to cook a Melon, and flavour it 

 with vinegar and salt, as in the early days of English gardening. A 

 good Melon of the present day does not even need the aid of sugar 

 to help it along ; the beauty, aroma, and flavour are such that it is 

 not unusual for the epicure to push the luscious Pine aside in order 

 to enjoy this cool, fresh, gratifying fruit that delights without cloying 

 the palate. The newer varieties are remarkable alike for fruitfulness 

 and high quality, and are somewhat hardier than the favourites of 

 years gone by. But we are bound to warn our readers that all the 

 so-called ' hardy ' Melons are comparatively worthless if hardy, or 

 comparatively tender if worth a place in the garden. A first-class 

 hardy Melon is at present unknown. 



The Melon is grown in much the same way as the Cucumber, but 

 it differs in requiring a firmer soil, a higher temperature, a much 

 stronger light, less water, and more air. It may be said that no man 

 should attempt to grow Melons until he has had some experience in 

 growing Cucumbers. As regards this point, the hard and fast line is 

 useless, but Cucumber-growing is certainly a good practical prepara- 

 tive for the higher walk wherein the Melon is found. But Cucumbers 

 are grown advantageously all the. winter through, and Melons are not. 

 The first are eaten green, and the second are eaten ripe ; this makes 

 all the difference. Melons that are ripened between October and 

 May are seldom worth the trouble bestowed upon them ; therefore 

 we shall say nothing about growing Melons in winter. 



THE FRAME CULTURE may advantageously begin about the middle 

 of March by the preparation of a good hot-bed. It is best to use a 

 three-light frame, as the heat will be more constant than with one of 

 smaller size. There should be six loads of stuff laid up for the 

 bed, and the turning should be sufficient to take out the fire, with- 

 out materially reducing the fermenting power. Begin a fortnight in 

 advance of making up the bed, and be careful at every stage to do 

 things well, as advised for the cultivation of frame Cucumbers. The 

 best soil for Melons is a firm, turfy loam. In a clay district, a cer- 

 tain amount of clay pulverised by frost may be chopped over with 

 turfy loam from an old pasture. If the soil is poor, decayed manure 

 may be added, but the best possible Melons may be grown in a 

 fertile loam without the aid of manures or stimulants of any kind. 

 It is good practice to raise the plants in pots, and have them strong 

 enough to plant out as soon as the newly-made beds have settled 



