THE MELON. 687 



tie black, jumping insect, that also rapidly devours its leaves in 

 some districts ; while it also gives the young, plants a fine start 

 in the early part of the season. 



As soon as the runners show the first blossom buds, stop 

 them, by pinching out the bud at the extremities. This will 

 cause an increased production of lateral shoots, and add to the 

 size of the fruit. Nothing more is necessary but to keep the 

 surface free from weeds, and to stir the soil lightly with the hoe, 

 in field culture. In gardens, thinning the fruit, and placing bits 

 of slate, or blackened shingles under each fruit, improve its size 

 and flavour. 



To retain a fine sort of melon in perfection, it should be grown 

 at some distance from any other sort, or even from any of the 

 cucumber family, otherwise the seeds of the next generation of 

 fruit will be spoiled by the mixture of the pollen. 



Varieties. More than seventy varieties are enumerated in 

 the catalogue of the London Horticultural Society's garden, but 

 many of these do not succeed without extra care in this coun- 

 try, which their quality is not found to repay. Indeed what is 

 popularly known as the Citron melon, one of the finest of the 

 green fleshed class, is the greatest favourite with all American 

 gardeners. It is high-flavoured, uniformly good, very produc- 

 tive, and in all respects adapted to the climate. 



Melons may be divided into three classes the Green-Fleshed, 

 as the citron, and nutmeg ; Yellow-Fleshed, as the cantelopes ; 

 and Persian Melons, with very thin skins and the most melting 

 honey -like flesh, of delicious flavour. The Green-Fleshed melons 

 are of very rich flavour and roundish form ; the Yellow -Fleshed 

 are large, usually oval, and of second rate flavour: the Persian 

 melon, the finest of all, but yet scarce with us, requiring much 

 care in cultivation, and a fine warm season. 



CLASS I. 

 Green-Fleshed Melons. 



CITRON. This is much the finest melon for general culture. 

 Fruit rather small, roundish, flattened at the end, regularly rib- 

 bed and thickly netted ; skin deep green, becoming pale greenish 

 yellow at maturity ; rind moderately thick, flesh green, firm, rich, 

 and high flavoured. Ripens pretty early and bears a long time. 



NUTMEG. An old variety, often seen impure, but when in 

 perfection, very melting and excellent. Fruit as large again as 

 the foregoing, roundish oval ; skin very thickly netted, pale 

 green, slightly but distinctly ribbed ; rind rather thin, flesh pale 

 green, very melting, sweet and good, with a high musky flavour. 

 Medium season. 



