THE VEGETABLE-FRUITS 109 



the most handsome plants of vegetable origin one can possibly 

 wish for. The culture is precisely the same as for the larger 

 edible sorts, Great novelty is attached to shapes and colours 

 in these subjects ; the names given them indicating their de- 

 scription: Warted, Powder-flask, Turk's-cap (red, white, green), 

 Teasel, Hedgehog, Snake-cucumber, Ostrich-egg, Gooseberry, 

 Bottle, Hercules' -club, Rag, Bishop' s-mitre, Syphon, Squirting- 

 cucumber, Red China, Loofah, Onion-shaped, Black Pear, 

 Pear-shaped, Wax Gourd, Egg-shaped, Mock Orange, and 

 others, in yellow, white, green, red, orange, citron, and variously 

 striped ! A medley of colours, shapes, contortions, all quaint, 

 curious, ornamental, and decidedly interesting ; affording an 

 excellent opportunity to make the kitchen-garden really hand- 

 some and decorative ! 



THE MELON (Cucumis melo}. The Melon can boast of great 

 antiquity, and is a native of the warmer parts of Asia. It 

 can hardly be classed as a vegetable, although its appearance 

 and manner of growth is of a vegetable nature, in close similarity 

 to the Cucumber and Vegetable Marrow ; it is, rather, a luscious, 

 cool, and most palatable fruit of high qualities. The culture 

 of the Melon may be generally regarded as the same as that of 

 the Cucumber, the difference being found in the somewhat 

 higher temperature, firmer soil, a greater amount of light and 

 air, with less moisture. Melons are essentially summer fruits 

 with the average grower, and the months that intervene between 

 the end of October and the beginning of May can with greater 

 profit be devoted to some other crop. 



Although Cucumbers and Melons may be grown in the same 

 house, it is not advisable, for the greater moisture and shade 

 that Cucumbers enjoy would not be tolerated by Melons ; 

 therefore separate accommodation is best. For frame culture, 

 a hotbed is prepared in the usual manner, eighty degrees being 

 a favourable temperature at planting-time. 



A good turfy loam is the ideal soil, and manure need not be 

 added to any soil unless it be poor. The soil should be piled 

 up into mounds, or ridges, whether in frames or a house ; and 

 if arrangements can be made for the occasional addition of 

 fresh soil as the plants grow, great benefit to the rooting powers 

 of the plants will be secured. Melons require, primarily, sun- 

 heat, and this fact should be taken into consideration when 

 planting. 



If properly managed, Melons do not require much cutting or 



