270 Mode of groioing late Melons. 



for the last three seasons, I think may be acceptable to at least some of your 

 readers. The last three summers have been so different in temperature and 

 moisture, that I think I may reasonably conclude the change of season will 

 not affect my plan. I do not mean to dictate to any one the precise time for 

 sowing their melon seed, making their beds, or planting their plants ; all this 

 must depend on the circumstances under which they are placed, for, if I were 

 differently situated, I should very likely be obliged to vary somewhat as to 

 time, &c. ; but my object is to show that a good crop of melons may be ob- 

 tained, with greater certainty, at a less expense than is generally supposed, 

 and of superior flavour. As regards the latter you can speak from experience, 

 from one sent yon late in the season. [See J. B. in p. 84.] As regards the 

 quantity, owing to the state of my health last autumn, I could not attend to 

 the cutting of them myself, and therefore a strict account was not kept ; but 

 generally not less than ten to a light are produced. As to the expense, some 

 may think it no object where they have plenty of soil and a convenient cart 

 road into the melon ground, but not so with those who have not soil, nor are 

 allowed to purchase it, or who have but few hands, and a long distance to 

 wheel ; to such the expense and labour form an object of importance. 



Having plants in readiness, I proceeded last year to make my beds on the 

 30th of June. The materials consisted of leaves which had lain in the melon 

 ground since the autumn, some old dung from pit linings, in a mouldy, not 

 wet rotten state, and some fresh long dung to make up the deficiency. I do 

 not like the dung to be sufficiently wet at this time of the year to cause it to 

 rot and become solid, as it will then be of little use in the autumn, when its 

 assistance will be more required. With the above kind of materials the bed 

 was made, without any regard to their being sweet. In making all kinds of 

 dung beds, my practice is to have the ground they stand on much lower in 

 the middle than on the sides, and, where necessary, to have a drain under- 

 neath the whole length. I then build them up, and finish the top in the 

 same form, as I find they are not so liable to fall at the sides, splitting the 

 soil of the bed, breaking the roots of the plants, and rendering it necessary 

 frequently to raise the frames. The beds being made for our present purpose 

 about 3 ft. high, I immediately put on the frames, each light being about 4 ft. 

 2 m. wide, and 6 ft. 5 in. long. In consequence of the green dung used in 

 the beds, they will of course heat very rapidly, and, owing to the power of 

 the sun at this season of the year, the heat in the frame will be very great j 

 and by keeping it shut up for some days every insect must perish, and the 

 beds will have heated themselves into such a dry state that there will be no 

 danger of overheating afterwards. When the heat has sufficiently subsided 

 to render it safe to put in the soil, the frames are taken off and the beds 

 regulated, still keeping them hollow along the middle. A ridge of the begt 

 loam in a rough state is then laid along the middle, and pressed firm, about 

 15 in. deep, and about as wide on the top, drawing what rolls down all over 

 the bed, so as scarcely to hide the dung, more for the sake of making it level 

 enough to set pots on than any thing else. If there is any danger of wire 

 worms in the soil, I find it a good plan to place some potatoes where the 

 plant or plants are to go. Sometimes I put one plant, sometimes two. When 

 the earth is warm enough, let the plant or plants be placed under the middle 

 of each light, and one shoot be trained towards the back, one towards the 

 front, and one each way along the ridge, stopping them when they reach the 

 frame, or under the bar between the lights. Let the potatoes still remain 

 planted all round the plants, as they will almost always attract the wire worms ; 

 and as they will show, by growing, where they are, they may be taken out 

 and examined, till the soil is cleared of them ; at least I have never known 

 it fail. Before the frames get crowded, add about 3 in. more soil all along 

 the sides of the ridge, and press it firm ; but add no more all the summer, and 

 let the plants fall down as they extend, and cover the dung in front of and 

 behind the ridge. 



Perhaps some may think it would be better to fill the frame with soil, but 



