MELOtf* 233 



of affording a much larger eatable portion, for its weight, 

 than is usual to most melons. 



We have observed, in other parts of this work, that 

 the French have particular places where they cultivate 

 peculiar fruits only : this is the case with melons ; and 

 where they are grown in such abundance as entirely to 

 occupy the attention of whole villages, the culture must 

 necessarily be better understood than in our gardens, 

 where the same persons have to cultivate every kind of 

 fruit or vegetable : the mind being thus divided between 

 so many varieties, that none can be so thoroughly under- 

 stood. Another great disadvantage arises in the common 

 mode of growing melons in this country, that is, by planting 

 them near to cucumbers, and sometimes quite surrounded 

 by them, and often by gourds, which, it is well known, 

 will, by their incestuous intercourse, not only affect the 

 seeds for future plants, but change the nature of the fruit, 

 which becomes polluted by the farina of other species of 

 the cucurbitacecz. 



When a melon is perfectly fine, it is full without any 

 vacuity : this is known by knocking upon it ; and, when 

 cut, the flesh should be dry, no water running out, only 

 a little dew, which should be of a fine red colour. This 

 fruit is principally used at desserts in England, and eaten 

 with sugar, ginger, pepper, or salt, agreeably to the 

 taste ; while in France it is chiefly served up at dinner, as 

 a sauce for boiled meats. Miller says, *' the seeds should 

 not be sown before they are three years old, but not 

 older than six;" although we read, in the Philosophical 

 Transactions, of melons being raised from seeds that 

 .were forty-three years old. Melon-seeds are cooling and 

 diuretic : they are anodyne, and were formerly used to 

 take off stranguries occasioned by blisters ; but sweet 

 almonds are now preferred. 





