MELON. 173 



more hints will occur in proceeding with the work, 

 in which the melon claims its share, for reasons 

 before given. 



Culture. In warmer climates the melon is raised 

 with little or no trouble ; but in Britain it requires 

 great attention and expense to rear it : and this 

 may be said of every sort of fruit and vegetable 

 raised by artificial means ; and to those who cul- 

 tivate them may be justly applied the following 

 lines : 



Grudge not ye rich (since luxury must have 

 His dainties, and the world's more numerous half, 

 Lives by contriving delicacies for you), 

 Grudge not the cost. Ye little know the cares, 

 The vigilance, the labour, and the skill, 

 That day and night are exercised, and hang 

 Upon the ticklish balance of suspense, 

 That you may garnish your profuse regales 

 With summer fruit, brought forth by wintry suns : 

 Ten thousand dangers lie in wait to thwart 

 The progress. 



COWPER. 



So it is certainly, and never were any lines more 

 to the purpose. 



Of late years various have been the methods for 

 raising good crops of melons, by cutting layers, and 

 preparing the bed in a particular manner, all in the 

 view to the production of " good " crops. Such may 

 have been the case; but the author has doubts whether 

 they will come into general use. The practitioners 

 who promulgate these methods, certainly do so with 

 good intentions. But in some of their writings there 

 are intermixed too many technical terms, such as 

 generating " caloric " to the bottom of the bed. 



