Book I. 



CULTURE OF THE MELON. 



5&3 



turn them out of the pots, " with the ball of earth entire : set a ball containing one 

 plant, in the middle of each hill, inserted clean over the ball ; or set at most two plants 

 under the centre of a large light. After planting, give a gentle watering over the hills 

 and round the roots, avoiding to wet the shanks of the plants : shut down the glasses 

 close, till the heat and steam arise ; then give air moderately. Extend a slight shade 

 over the glasses in the middle part of warm summer days, if the plants shrink or flag 

 their leaves, before fully rooted in the bills ; which they will be in two, three, or four 

 days after planting. " 



3291. Temperature. The melon requires a minimum heat of about 65° from the 

 time of germination till that of fructification, and a heat of about 75^ to fruit in, 



{Abercrombie. ) 



3292. M'Phail, as appears from the taMes in his Gardener's Remembrancer^ kept his melon and cucum- 

 ber frames at the same temperature ; stating, that if any person keep melons or cucumber-plants in the 

 same degrees of heat, they will not fail of success. (3248,) 



3293. Nicol's medium heat for melons is 70°. 



3294. Heat from linings of dung. The proper temperature must be kept up by repeated linings, at least 

 till the middle of July. After that, sun-heat may suffice to ripen the crop. Till this season, the greatest 

 care must be taken not to burn or over-heat the plants. M'Phail says, " Examine daily with your hand 

 the heat of the bed, pushing your fingers into the dung immediately under the hills of earth in which the 

 plants grow; and if you find the heat likely to be too powerful, pour cold water all round the bottom of 

 the hills of earth, to lower the heat of the bed. Remember this must be daily attended to till the heat 

 of the bed be so declined in the middle, that the roots of the plants be in no danger of being hurt by 

 the heat of the dung under them. In case this necessary precaution has been neglected till the heat 

 immediately under the stems of the plants has become too hot, pour plenty of water, 80" warm, round 

 about on the sides of the hills in which the plants grow, and among the stems of the plants, which will 

 bring the earth and dung immediately under the plants to the same degree of heat as the water which 

 is poured into it Wheii the heat in the middle of the bed becomes so cool, that there is no fear of its 

 being too great for the roots of the plants, watering that part of the bed to keep the burning heat down, 

 of course, must cease, and as the roots of the plants extend, earth may be added to the hills. As soon 

 as the heat of the bed declines, linings must be applied to it, which will set it into a fresh fermentation, 

 and then the surface upon the bed must be examined occasionally, by pushing the hand into it in 

 different parts, and when a burning heat is felt, pour in some water as before directed. In this way you 

 should persevere, still keeping a strong h«at in the linings. Remember that the surface of the bed all 

 round about the hills should be left uncovered with earth, and the dung should be loosened occasionally, 

 to let the heat rise freely to nourish the plants. Melons will do without heat in the linings in July ; 

 but I found by experience, that they do better by keeping a heat in the linings all the summer. If a 

 heat be kept on constantly in the linings, and the plants watered sufficiently, they will continue to pro- 

 duce fruit till (±ie middle of October." 



3295. Air. As long as weak steam is perceived to rise from the bed, leave an aper- 

 ture, even at night, for it to escape ; guarding against the influx of cold air by a curtain 

 of matting. Admit fresh air to the plants by tilting the glasses more or less at the most 

 favorable hours in a mild dry day. After the bed has come to a sweet heat, shut down 

 close at night. As the fruit enlarges, it becomes more necessary to seize every proper 

 opportunity of admitting air ; raising the lights from one to four inches, according to the 

 season, the heat of the bed, and temperature of the external air ; shutting close, if that 

 should turn cold, and always timely towards evening. As confirmed summer approaches, 

 admit air still more freely. 



3296. Nicol says, " Air should be freely admitted, though not in such quantity as for the cucumbers, 

 which do not require so high a temperature as melons do. In sunshine, however, the mercury in the 

 thermometer should be kept down, by the admission of air, to about 80° or 75°." 



3297. M'Phail says, " Look into your melons in the morning, and if there is a dew on them standing 

 like little beads round the edges of the young leaves, it is a good sign ; but if there is no dew on them, in 

 the form I have described, they are not in a very prosperous condition. The air in the frames is not 

 sweet : they either want water, or sprinklings of water, or else the heat of the air in the frames is too 

 great in the night. In hot weather, melons are better to have air left at them all night, and in very warm 

 weather to take the glasses entirely off in the evening, and put them on again in the morning: by this 

 means the plants will get a refreshment from the dew in the night." 



3298. Water. After the pVants are placed on the hills, give opportunely gentle wa- 

 terings, increasing them as the season and the growth of the plants advance. " Water 

 circumspectly and scantily while the fruit is setting or young in growth, as too much 

 moisture would make it decay. Take a warm morning for watering, before the middle 

 of May ; in summer, the afternoon, or evening. Use soft water warmed to the air of 

 the frame ; and let as little as possible fall on the setting or new-set young fruit ; nor 

 much near the main head of the plants, for fear of rotting that part. Shut down the 

 lights after watering, for a short time ; and if in the morning, and a strong sun, 

 spread a mat over, to prevent the sun from injuring the plants by acting on the water 

 lodged on the spray and leaves. As a strong steam will now arise, remove the mats in 

 an hour or two, and raise the glasses at the top, to give vent to the steam and admit air 

 to the plants. As the fruit becomes nearly ripe, lessen the quantity of water given, 

 barely keeping the plant from flagging ; and withhold water when the fruit begins to 

 turn color." 



3299. Nicol says, water once in four or five days in the afternoon, watering over the foliage. Repeat 

 them oftener as the season and the growth of the plants and fruit advance, in order to swell it off' the 

 better. (Kal. p. 387.) 



3300, M'Phail says, " If the weather is warm and dry, the melons will probably sometimes require 

 water twice a-week : if the weather is wet and cloudy, they will not require it so often." (G. Bern. 



P p 4 



