M E 



fhould be taken to know from 

 whence it comes ; by which may 

 be gather'd how proper it is for our 

 Climate, and alio Ibine Judgment 

 made of the Goodnels of the Sorts: 

 For thole Melons which are pro- 

 duct in the IVeJi-Jndies, are gene- 

 rally very large, and being brought 

 from a very hot Country, feldom 

 come to anything in EngLind.^ and 

 thofe Seeds which come from Spain, 

 Italy, or the Leva'at, are feldom 

 good for much, the Gardeners in 

 thofe Countries being very carelefs 

 in favma: their Seeds : But the beft 

 Country to procure Melon Seeds 

 from, is Langtiedoc in the South of 

 'France, where the Gardeners emu- 

 late each other in producing the 

 fineft Melons, and the Seeds brought 

 from thence are much preferable 

 to any fav'd in England, and do 

 fucceed better than thofe brought 

 fr-,m moft other Countries. 



Having thus largely treated of 

 the Choice of Seeds, I flull now 

 proceed to the Method and Times 

 of fowing them ; which, according 

 to th: common Pratfice of the Gar- 

 lic. lers near London, is at two Sea- 

 fons, liz,. The firft, (which is for 

 the early Crop, to be planted under 

 Frames) in the latter End of Ja- 

 nuary, or the Beginning of cehmary^ 

 tho' indeed there are ibme who, 

 endeavouring to produce early Fruit, 

 ibw their Seeds in December, but 

 then there muft be a great Expence 

 and Care, otherwiie they will come 

 to nothing : So that the molf 

 certain Seafon is that before-men- 

 tion'd ; for if by great Care the 

 Plants which are rais'd fooner are 

 preferv'd in Health, yet when the 

 Fruit firft appears, if the Beds are 

 not in goocj Temper for Heat, and 

 great Care be not taken in giving 

 them a juil Proportion of Air, the 

 Fruit will liili oil and come to nr> 



M E 



thing. The fecond Seafon for {ow- 

 ing this Seed (which is for Bell or 

 Hand-Glaffes) is about the Beginning 

 of March, or a little later, accord- 

 ing to the Eariinefs or Latenefs of 

 the Seafon i and is the general Crop 

 of Melons which are commonly 

 ripe in July or Augufl : But I 

 fha'l firft begin with Diredlions 

 for Raifing and Managing the early 

 Crop for Frames. 



About ieven or eight Days before 

 you intend to fow the Seeds, you 

 muft prepare a Parcel of new Horfe- 

 Dungfrom the Stable, which fhould 

 be caft up (together with the Lit- 

 ter) into a round Heap, mixing 

 therewith a few Sea-Coal Albes, 

 which will help to preferve the 

 Heat of the Dung. After it has 

 lain in the Heap a Week, it will 

 have acquired Heat enough for the 

 Purpofe : You muft therefore dig a 

 Trench the Length and Width of 

 the Frame you intend for the Bed, 

 and about a Foot deep, (provided 

 the Ground be dry i but if it be 

 wet, the Trench fliould not be 

 above three or tour Inches deep)j 

 into this Trench you muft lay the 

 Dung, oblerving to fhake and work 

 it well with the Fork, fo that every 

 Part of it may be equally flirr'd, 

 whereby it will fettle all alike i and 

 it Ibould be beaten down with the 

 Fork, to prevent the Heat from 

 going off too foon : This Dung 

 fhould be laid three Feet thicks and 

 after having made it cxa6lly level 

 on the Top, you fhould lay fome 

 fine light Earth thereon, about 

 three Inches thick, on which the 

 Seeds fliould be fown two Days 

 after the Bed is made, covering it 

 about half an Inch with the fame 

 liirht Earth. If after the Seed be 

 fown, the Bed fhould prove very 

 ho*-, you muft raife the Light witri 

 a Stone about an Inch bigh, which 



will 



