MELONS. 239 



and prevent the mould from cracking after the bed has 

 been earthed up. 



In growing the large sized melons, it is necessary to 

 have large frames where there are no pits, and to cover 

 the beds fifteen or eighteen inches thick with the mould; 

 it should be laid on when dry, the large lumps just bro- 

 ken, but by no means made fine, and when finally earthed 

 up it should be made quite firm by gently treading it 

 down. In this state it will generally be found to retain 

 moisture enough to ripen its fruit, without having occa- 

 sion to water the bed : when this is the case, fruit are 

 produced of the highest flavour it is possible they should 

 attain ; but when Cantaloup and other red-fleshed me- 

 lons are grown through the mere agency of heat and 

 excessive moisture, their flavour is ever flat and insipid, 

 in proportion to the quantity of water thus employed. 



The melons of Persia, which compose the third and 

 fourth of the foregoing divisions, differ remarkably from 

 the varieties commonly cultivated in Europe. They are 

 altogether destitute of the thick hard rind which charac- 

 terises the latter, and which renders the one half of every 

 fruit useless ; on the contrary, they are protected by a 

 skin so thin and delicate, that they are subject to injury 

 from causes which would produce no perceptible effect 

 upon the melons of Europe. Their flesh is extremely 

 tender, rich, and sweet, and flows copiously with a cool 

 juice which renders them still more grateful. To these 

 important qualities they in many cases add the merit of 

 bearing abundant crops of fruit, the appearance of which 

 is always extremely beautiful. 



But, on the other hand, their cultivation is attended 

 with peculiar difficulties. They are found to require a 

 very high temperature, a dry atmosphere, and an ex- 

 tremely humid soil, while they are at the same time im- 

 patient of an undue supply of moisture, which causes 



