MARTYNI A MELONS. 97 



up over the head to blanch it. They are much esteemed in 

 Europe, "but in our own climate quickly run to seed. They 

 should therefore be set out very early in the season, but 

 are not sufficiently hardy to whiter over. Of the many 

 varieties grown abroad, the Paris Green Coss does the best 

 hi this climate. 



MARTYNIA. 



The long, horn-shaped seed-pods of this plant are used 

 for pickling when in their young, green state, and by 

 many persons are preferred to cucumbers. The seed 

 should be sown in an open border in April or May, and hi 

 June should be transplanted into the permanent bed at a 

 distance of two or two and a half feet apart each way. 



It will thrive in any good garden soil, but does not need 

 to be heavily manured. 



MELONS. 



The cultivation of the melon is in all respects the same 

 as that of the cucumber, only that they should not be 

 planted less than six feet apart each way. If the growth 

 is very luxuriant, the ends of the leading shoots should be 

 pinched off, in order to check the growth and make the 

 fruit set better. The fruit also should be thinned out if 

 too many set it increases the size and flavor; and four or 

 five fruits to a plant are as many as should be allowed to 

 remain. When the fruit becomes as large as a goose egg, 

 it is well to put a shingle, a slate or some similar material 

 under each, as it somewhat hastens their maturity, and 

 renders them better flavored. An occasional watering of 

 guano water has a tendency to increase the size of the fruit. 



