202 ' The Kitchen Garden. [May. 



Of MJons to he raifed under Bell and Hand-glafes, and 

 oiled Pa J. er- frames . 



Finifli making the hot-bed ridges, to plant the melons 

 upon, which are to be covered wiih bell or hand-glafles, 

 or with frames covered with oiled paper; for which fee 

 the work of fune. The plants for this purpofe being 

 raifed from a fjwing in March, ar beginning of lafl: month, 

 will be now of a proper fize for final tranfplantation into 

 the above hot-beds, which, ifpolTible, ihould be com- 

 pleted in the firil or fecond week of this month. 



Thefs ridges mult be made of the very bell hot liable 

 dung J preparing it iirft, as direfced in the two former 

 months, for other hot-beds. And they may now be made, 

 either in trenches, three or four feet wide, and fifteen or 

 eighteen inches deep, or on level ground \ but by making 

 them moilly above ground, *it will afford an opportunity 

 of adding a lining to recruit the heat when it declines : 

 hov/ever, in either method, let the hot-bed ridges be made 

 a yard wide p.t leaft, though four feet will be more eligi- 

 ble, full two feet, cr thirty inches thick ; and where two or 

 more ridges are to be made, and tliey are moilly above 

 l^round, allow the fpace of four feec between ridge and . 

 ridge. The faid fpace or alleys being filled with dung 

 and earth, in about a month or five weeks after, will 

 greatly afiift the fetting of the fruit. 



The ridges being made, get fome good earth ; and if 

 this be bamy and mixed up with one fourth part of very 

 rotten-dung, it will be the better for this purpofe ; but in 

 ^lefault of loam, any rich earth will do. The earth is not 

 to be £fted, but very well broken, and mixed together 

 with the fpade, and then laid not lefs than ten inches 

 thick, all over the top of the ridge. 



Then mark out the holes for the plants, allowing the 

 diHance of four feet betv/een hole and hole ; and fet a bell 

 crhand-glafs over each, and keep them clofe down till the 

 earth under them is warm, and then bring in the plants. 

 If the plants are now in pots, turn them carefully out, 

 with the ball of earth entire, and make a hole in the earth 

 where each glafs ftands ; place one pot of plants, with the 

 ball, into each hole : clofe the earth very well about the 

 ball, and alfo about the ftems of the plants ; give every 

 hole a liule water, and iniinediately put on the glafies. 



Shade 



