MELONS. 169 



Twenty -five hills will yield an abund- 

 ance of Melons for family nse. One 

 ounce of seed will be enough to plant 

 this number of hills. 



The ground must be well cultivated 

 both ways with a cultivator, and around 

 the plants, hoed two or three times with 

 a hand-hoe. At the first hoeing, draw 

 some earth aroMud the stems, to support 

 them asrainst strong winds. 



When the seed is sown in the hill, 

 a conical wooden box, open at the top 

 or covered with a light of glass, will be 

 found a protection against the bugs, as 

 well as a means of hastening the growth. 



By makhig a square hole for the 

 manure, twenty inches deep, then put- 

 ting on top of it two or three inches 

 of soil, which will leave the seeds when 

 planted three inches below the level of -=^P^^^ 

 the surface— and placing over the topOAEDEN spade. 

 of this square opening a light of glass, a forcing- 

 bed is formed in the garden, ^vhich will be at once 

 simple and effective as well as useful to keep off the 

 bugs. 



It is not easy for the private gardener to keep 

 Melon-seed pure. It is so liable to sport with Cu- 

 cumbers or other varieties of the same family when 

 growing in the same garden. 



The best kinds for garden or field-culture are as 

 follows : 



Green Citeon. — T'ruit medium size, nearly round 



