42 
New Principles of Gardening. 
Fruit, which will caufe it to grow away with good Succefs. 
‘The nearer the Fruit is fet to its Root, the betters becaufe 
the Sap is not fo much {pent in a fhort Paffage from the Root, 
as when it has a long way to travel before it arrives at the 
Fruit, when the Fruit fets very remote from the Root, as at 
the very extreme part of the Vine. : 
It often happens in both Melons and Cucumbers, as well 
as in Fruit Trees, that there are many very weak Shoots or 
Vines, which are called water Shoots, never producing any 
‘Thing more than Leaves and falfe Bloffoms, which greatly rob the 
Fruit of its Nourifhment, and therefore ought to be pruned away. 
Melons in general require a much lighter dryer Earth, and 
a greater Heat than Cucumbers do, which delight in frequent 
Refrefhings of Water, and will not thrive without it. Inthe 
watering of Melons, obferve that you place a Bell Glafs over 
their Roots, to prevent the Water coming to them, which in- 
ftantly caufes them to canker or rot, and foon die; and at all 
Times ’tis very neceffary to preferve their Roots as well from 
the cold of the Night, as the Rains alfo. 
~The Nature of a Melon is fuch, that when their Fruit is fet, 
they delight to be fhaded by their Leaves, to have moderate 
Waterings when the Earth is extreme dry, and not to be kept 
very moift, which caufes their Fruit to have a watery and in- 
fipid Tafte. | 
As foon as the Fruit is fully grown, it cannot be too much 
expofed to the Sun; and that it may receive the very greateft 
Advantage thereby, I advife that a Bell or fquare Glafs be 
placed over the Fruit, which fhould be laid on plain Tiles, and 
turned every Day till ripe, which is known by their agreeable 
Odour, as well as by the fmall Cracks about the end of the 
Stalk, as if it was feparated from the Fruit in order to be dif 
charged, having then perfornrdits great Office. When Melons are 
to be fent ten, twenty, or thirty Miles, ’tis beft to cut tnem 4 
Day or two fooner than when ripe, and to be eaten immedi- 
ately; and in the cutting of a Melon obferve, that you cut 
its Stalk to the length of one Joint at leaft, with a Leaf or 
two alfo; It addsa great Beauty to the Fruit when at T able. 
© "To enumerate the feveral Kinds of Melons would be too te- 
dious a Task, and not any way ferviceable : Therefore I fhall 
only add, that the very beft are thofe of a middling Size, and 
re not 
