170 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



or silver rock, when well grown, of five or seven 

 pounds weight is to be preferred. 



The ground colour of this fruit is a light green, 

 dotted over as before mentioned with various-sized 

 warts, becoming partially yellow when ripe. The 

 flesh is very firm, orange-coloured, and replete with 

 moisture of a vinous taste and fine flavour. 



8. Silver Rock Cantaleupe. This variety is so 

 called to distinguish it from the former by its co- 

 lour. In quality it is equal, but in shape there is 

 some little difference, it being less depressed and 

 furrowed ; and in general the weight is less, averag- 

 ing from five to seven pounds. It is the most 

 proper for a first crop of this variety of fruit. 



There is another variety, called the Golden Rock, 

 from its colour when ripe. It was extensively cul- 

 tivated in Holland by the Dutch and Flemish gar- 

 deners some years back, who at that time excelled 

 in their cultivation of this fruit, by their flued pits 

 and fine manure, which was principally composed 

 of cow's dung (the best being well consumed, 

 which takes a few months). The qualities of such 

 manure are more of a cooling than heating nature, 

 and will be found not over strong if one third 

 part be mixed with three of what may be called 

 virgin earth of a loamy nature : and if there hap- 

 pens to be a good kind of marl in the neighbour- 

 hood, and one fourth or less is added to the other 

 two, this would make as fine a composition as is 

 necessary. The author found this to be the case 

 during the few years he resided in Cheshire, the 

 finest marl county in the kingdom. 



For many years the Dutch gardeners excelled 



