io6 The Gardener's New Director. 



There is a method to fet Melons, which are not apt to 

 keep their fruit, which fucceeds better than any I know 

 of, eTpecially with the early fruit, viz. Whenever you 

 perceive fruit appearing, and that it opens its female 

 bloflbms (which are upon the fruit) and that it does not 

 fvvell to vour wifh, take a male bloffom, and cutting off 

 its petals above the eye, thruft it into the female blof- 

 fom, clofe to the fruit, and tie both together inftantly, 

 that no air may get in to prevent their uniting ; then pinch 

 the top of the vine whereon the fruit is, two joints above 

 the fruit, and cut oft the runners from that vine, but 

 take off no more vines from the plant, unlefs it has more 

 tiian three or four ; if you keep up the heat, your fruit 

 will vifibly fwell in three days, when you mufi: cut off 

 the bafs-tying. This is a method for fetting Melons, 

 "which never failed. Obferve to fix the eye of the male 

 fiower, clofe to the female, when you fet it in. 



If the vines of your Melon plants, over-run the length 

 and breadth of your large frames, lift up the frames, 

 and let them reft upon bricks tour inches high, fufFering 

 the vines to run out at pleafure, taking care always 

 to peg them down with forked fticks, to prevent their 

 being broke with wind. Obferve that what water you 

 now give them, be at their extremities, and not near 

 the fiems of the plants ; which they fliould never have 

 St this feafon, except in very hot and dry weather. If 

 you are to eat your Melons at home, let them be high 

 in flavour, and the ftalk feeming ready to part from the 

 fruit, and to be cut in the morning, with no more than 

 two inches of vine. It the fruit is to be fent fome dif- 

 tance, let it be cut three days before it is ripe, cutting 

 a toot of. vine uith it. By this method of cultivating 

 Melons, I have had great plenty, and very good iTuit. 

 Melons under bells or oiled paper, will never do in 

 Sccthii'.d. 



My fii ft crop of Melons was over by the middle o^July ; 

 when the vines were flill frefii, healthy, and preparing 

 to fet out new runners, flowers, and fruit, I then fet 

 about to try an experiment to obtain a fecond good crop, 

 ill which I fucceeded every year. For this purpofe I took 

 I'P all the vines, light by light, laid three inches of my 



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