THE MUSKMELON, 93 



ed States, and even of the Canadas, are abundantly sup- 

 plied within two or three days from the time of gathering : 

 and they are retailed at prices so low, as to allow of almost 

 universal consumption ; well ripened and delicious green- 

 fleshed citron-melons being often sold from six to ten cents 

 each. 



Soil and Cultivation. Both the Musk and the Water- 

 melon thrive best in a warm, mellow, rich, sandy loam, and 

 in a sheltered exposure. After thoroughly stirring the soil 

 by ploughing or spading, make the hills six or seven feet 

 apart in each direction. Previous to planting, these hills 

 should be prepared as directed for the Squash ; making 

 them a foot and a half or two feet in diameter, and twelve 

 or fifteen inches in depth. Thoroughly incorporate at the 

 bottom of the hill a quantity of well-digested compost, equal 

 to three-fourths of the earth removed ; and then add suffi- 

 cient fine loam to raise the hill two or three inches above 

 the surrounding level. On the top of the hill thus formed, 

 plant twelve or fifteen seeds ; and, when the plants are well 

 up, thin them out from time to time as they progress in size. 

 Finally, when all danger from bugs and other insect depre- 

 dators is past, leave but two or three of the most stocky 

 and promising plants to a hill. 



THE MUSKMELON. 



Cucumis melo. 



The seeds of the Muskmelon are oval, flattened, gener- 

 ally yellow, but sometimes nearly white, about four-tenths 

 of an inch in length, and three-sixteenths of an inch in 

 breadth, the size, however, varying to a considerable 

 extent in the different varieties. An ounce contains from 

 nine hundred to eleven hundred seeds ; and they retain their 

 germinative properties from eight to ten years. 



