MELONS. 233 



sweet and excellent flavor. It is of good constitution, and 

 bears abundantly, and is one of the best sorts. 



XtFTMEG. — Medium-sized, roundish oval, with a pale green 

 skin, which is very thickly netted; the flesh is green, very 

 sweet, rich, and very highly perfumed. 



Bailey's Eclipse. — This is much esteemed in England, and 

 should be equally fine here. It is said to be a round, handsome 

 Melon, weighing from three to four pounds, beautifully netted, 

 with a pale green, rich, luscious, and melting flesh. 



The Geove Htbeid. — ^Another EngHsh variety, which is 

 said to be truly splendid, ribbed and slightly netted, weighing 

 from four to six poui;ids, the flesh pale green, rich and luscious. 



Laegb Yellow Cantaloupe. — ^A large yeUow-fleshed sort, 

 an abundant cropper, and probably as good as any of the red or 

 yellow-fleshed Melons, none of which are as sweet and high- 

 flavored as the green-fleshed Melons. 



Black Spanish "Water Melon. — This is a large variety, 

 having a deep red-colored flesh, and of very fine sugary flavor. 

 It is very productive, has a healthy constitution, and is one of 

 the best for our cHmate, as it matures its fruit early. 



Ice Cream. — ^When pure the flesh is a yeUowish-white, with 

 white seeds, which render it quite distiuct from most other 

 Water Melons. It is a prolific variety, ripenrug early, sweet 

 and fine flavored, and well suited for our short summers. 



These varieties are probably the best for general cultivation 

 in our climate, but, after all, there will be seasons every now 

 and then in which even these wUl not ripen well, or until so 

 late a period in the season that their flavor is impaired. Melon 

 seeds will preserve their vitality for eight or ten years ; and old 

 gardeners say that seed which is four or five years old will 

 produce viaes which set their fruit better than those raised 

 from fresh seed. 



