Transactions of the Prussian Gardening Society. 449 



and several pounds in weight; their principal merit, however, 

 is, that they vi'ill remain good till Christmas, if kept in a dry 

 and cool place. It is remarkable, that pieces of this very 

 sweet fruit become intensely bitter when rotten. The seeds 

 of the melons are generally put in good wine a short time 

 before they are sown, which is done in April. Holes of 1^ ft. 

 in diameter are made, 5 ft. apart ; they are nearly filled with 

 dung; and five or six seeds are sown in each, and covered 

 with light soil. Two of the strongest plants only ai"e left after 

 they come up, and during their growth the most luxuriant 

 shoots are cut out. Particular attention must be paid to 

 observe the time of ripening of the fruit, which generally 

 occurs at mid-day, and is known by the aromatic smell thrown 

 out. The melons must then be cut, and kept in a cool dry 

 place, as they lose their flavour entirely when left a few hours 

 on the plant after their ripening. Not only the flesh of these 

 melons is employed for food, but also the seeds, which, when 

 bruised, and put into water with sugar, make a very agree- 

 able liquid (semuda). The water-melons are also very 

 extensively cultivated, much in the same way as the others. 

 The seeds of the common sort are black, and those of the 

 better variety (Angurie zuccarine) brownish yellow, with 

 black spots. The fruit weighs from 10 lbs. to 50 lbs.; and 

 a criterion of its ripeness is, when, on being struck, it gives 

 a hollow sound ; or when it cracks on being squeezed. Cu- 

 cumbers are cultivated, but not much esteemed. Pumpkins 

 are principal articles in Venetian horticulture ; and several, 

 particularly Cuciirbita JVfelopepo and moschata T)uchesne^ 

 are grown to great perfection : the last of these sometimes 

 attains from 3 to 4 ft. in length, and 100 lbs. in weight. 

 iSolanum Melongena and Lycopersicum, artichokes, carrofis, 

 radishes, spinach, and purple broccoli, arevery fine; cauliflower, 

 and several species of asparagus which are there used, are 

 plentiful : but kohl-rabi and common winter cabbage are not 

 known. Celery grows wild near the sea. Fennel forms an 

 eatable bulb above the root, for which it is much cultivated, 

 as well as for its aromatic seeds. [See Spence's Notes on 

 Italian Gardenings p. 267.] Lettuces are used only when 

 young plants ; they never form a head, in consequence of the 

 heat of the climate. 



28. Notices, 8)^c. — 29. On planting Trees by Roadsides and in 



Hedgeroivs. 



30. On planting Fruit Trees by the Roadside Jr-om Grunberg to 

 Massertvitz. 

 The number of plants was 3671 ; chiefly apples, and sour 

 Vol. VIII. — No. 39. gg 



