101 The Gardf.ner's New Director. 



(teds have been faved but one, or even two years 

 The method or' making the hot-beds, and the man- 

 ner of raifing them from feed, being much the fame 

 witii that ufed for Cucumbers, I need not repeat 

 it here. Before the hatter end of February, I fowed 

 niy Melon crop, as the feed-beds will then work well; 

 and as the fun begins to have a kindly influence, you 

 can give air in mild weather to the young plants, which 

 is of great ufe to them. The frames in which thefe 

 plants are raifed may be about two feet (quare, and 

 when the Melon-plants are fiiteen days (Id, it will be 

 proper to make another bed of the iame dimenfions; and 

 as foon as it is in^ a good temper, (which you may be 

 fatisfied of, "by tiirufimg your finger into the earth with 

 which the bed is covered) prick them out at three inches 

 diffance, plant from plant, o'ifcrvinp, as they fpire, to 

 add earth to their long fhanks, which will flrengthen 

 them much, and make them foon put out their rough 

 leaf. The befl: compolT: for Melons is thus made: take 

 two loads of well-rotted old cows dung, two of frefh 

 virain-carth, and two of yellow fat marie, mix all to- 

 Gether, and let them lie one year at Icai^ before you 

 u'.e them; in winter let it be fpread to receive the be- 

 nefit of the froft and atm.ofphere ; which, when to be 

 ufed, muft be riddled fine, breaking the clods of marie, 

 as they are apt to cake. Obferve, when you tranf- 

 piant Melons, to fliade them from the fun, until you 

 perceive they have iiruck root, giving th^m moderate 

 waterings ; and in bright fun-fliinc, cover the glafies 

 with matts, giving them air in tb.e day only. The 

 heft time to give them water, is about feven in the 

 morning, from bottles which ftand in the frames one 

 day before it is ufed, that the water may be of the fame 

 temperature with the air in the beds, which the plants 

 feed upon. In this bed they may continue until they 

 fliew one, or at mofl: two leaves, but no longer. 

 When the following direfiions muH; be carefully attend- 

 ed to, to have high-flavoured, large and well-tailed Me- 

 lons, efpecially the Cantaleupe fort, without which, they 

 can never be obtained in this country. Experience of 

 many years taught me this, and I can falely recom- 

 mend it, as the only method to have tl.ofe fruits in per- 



feftion. 



