THE MELON. 211 



clous direction of means and labour to commence so 

 early without more certain appliances than ferment- 

 ing material and common frames. However, as the 

 mode of raising and general treatment of melons 

 started thus early will meet the case of those who 

 do not commence till later in the season, I will sup- 

 pose, in order to meet all cases, an early start, and 

 treat accordingly. 



SOWING THE SEED, AND MANAGEMENT OF YOUNG 

 PLANTS. 



If possible, choose seed not older than three or four 

 years, of some early good-constitutioned variety, and 

 steep the seeds in water for twelve hours before sow- 

 ing them. At the same time prepare the required 

 number of 4-inch pots, by placing one crock over the 

 hole in their bottoms, and half-filling them with pure 

 moderately moist yellow loam, and place them in the 

 seed-frame to warm the soil. Sow three or four seeds 

 in each pot, covering them with a quarter of an inch 

 of the loam, and do not water them for the present. 

 They should be plunged so as to get a bottom-heat of 

 about 85, and let the pots lean to the south, so that 

 the young plants may get the sun when they peep 

 through the soil. The temperature of the air should 

 range from 72 to 75. In the case of fermenting 

 beds the heat at night has to be chiefly regulated by 

 the amount of covering over the glass, and by air- 

 giving, which latter requires to be watchfully attended 

 to, especially in fitful weather. As soon as the young 

 seedlings come up and expand their seed-lobes, show- 

 ing which are to be the two healthiest and dwarfest 

 plants, remove the others, and mould up the stems 



