May.] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 359 



tive situations; and between the fifteenth and twentieth in the 

 eastern states. It is remarked that musk and water melons, cu- 

 cumbers, pumpkins, squashes, gourds, and all the varieties of these 

 families, may be sown at the periods in which people generally 

 plant Indian corn; but in order to have them as early as possible 

 in the open ground, a few patches may be sown ten days or more 

 before the dates above mentioned, which, with good care, may suc- 

 ceed very well, especially if the season proves favourable. 



For the varieties of the musk or cantaleupe melons, prepare a 

 piece of rich sandy ground, well exposed to the sun; manure it and 

 give it a good digging, then mark it out into squares of six feet 

 every way; at the angle of every square, dig a hole twelve inches 

 deep and eighteen over, into which put seven or eight inches deep 

 of old hot-bed dung, or very rotten manure, throw thereon about 

 four inches of earth, and mix the dung and earth well with the 

 spade, after which, draw the remainder of the earth over the mix- 

 ture so as to form a round hill, about a foot broad at top. Some 

 people use hot stable dung, underan idea that its heat would promote 

 the vegetation of the seed; this is a mistaken notion, as in a few 

 hours it looses all it had for want of a sufficient quantity being 

 together to promote fermentation, and becomes a dryish wisp, unfit, 

 at least for the present, to afford either heat or nourishment to the 

 plants. 



When your hills are all prepared as above, plant in each, towards 

 the centre, eight or nine grains of good melon seed, distant two 

 inches from one another, and cover them about half an inch deep. 



When the plants are up and in a state of forwardness, producing 

 their rough leaves, they must be thinned to two or three in each 

 hill; the extra number in some, may serve to fill up deficiencies in 

 others: draw earth from time to time around the hills, and as high 

 about the roots of the plants as the seed leaves; when fit, stop 

 them as directed in page 120, after which, keep the ground, by fre- 

 quent hoeings, perfectly free from weeds. 



Squashes. 



Squashes of every kind may be cultivated as directed for cucum- 

 bers and melons, should be sown at the same time, and at similar 

 distances, with this difference, that two plants of these will be 

 plenty for each hill, and that they are easier pleased in soil and 

 preparation than the others. 



Water Melons. 



In order to have water melons in good perfection, you must fix 

 upon a piece of very light, rich, sandy soil; prepare, sow, and ma- 

 nage it in every respect, as directed for cucumbers and melons, only 

 let the hills be nine or ten feet distant every way. 



Pumpkins and Gourds. 



Pumpkins will require to be ten feet distant hill from hill, two 

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