Book I. 



MELON. 



763 



puted but that considerable change happens to the contexture of fruits so pricked, just the same as to parts 

 of animals pierced with any sharp instrument." Monck split a fig from the eye to the stalk, and found it 

 ripen six weeks before others that were untouched. {Hort. Trans, v. 172.) 



4866. The process of caprification of figs is performed in the Levant to hasten the maturity of the 

 autumnal crop, and consists in placing on the fig-trees what are called figues-fleurs, or spring figs, in which 

 a certain insect of the gnat species {Culex, L.) has deposited its eggs. From these eggs, in the spring figs, 

 proceed a multitude of gnats, which, in their turn, deposit their eggs in the autumn figs, or rather in their 

 flowers, effecting in their passage the fecundation of these flowers, and, by consequence, hastening the 

 maturity of the fruit. The most enlightened French naturalists are of opinion that this is a very unneces- 

 sary part of the culture of the fig. Olivier, member of the Institute, and author of a Journey through the 

 Ottoman Empire, considers it as " a tribute which man pays to ignorance and prejudice." " Jn many 

 countries of the Levant," he says, " it is not performed, nor is it done in France, Italy, or Spain ; and it 

 is now neglected in some of tlie isles of the Archipelago, where was it practised formerly." Bosc says, 

 " the larva of the Cynips, in eating the interior of the figs, can be no otherwise useful than the larva of 

 the Pyrale pommonelle, Hubner, {Phalcena, Linn.) or apple-worm, can be in hastening the maturity of the 

 apple : and who would take it upon him to advise rendering apples worm-eaten in order to enjoy the ad- 

 vantage of eating them a fortnight sooner?" This observation, it may be observed, rather confirms 

 the idea that caprification hastens maturity, which, from what we have seen in the neighborhood of Rome 

 and Naples, we believe to be the case. Though we think with Olivier, that it is by no means absolutely 

 necessary to fecundation ; and even if it were, that fecundation is not essentially requisite to the sv/elling 

 and ripening of the fig. 



4867. Monck has made some curious experiments 

 and observations on this subject, from which he is 

 led to conjecture, 1. That fig-trees never bear figs 

 which contain both kinds of florets in an efficient 

 state ; 2. That figs in which the anther-bearing florets 

 only are perfect, never c*jine to be eatable fruit ; 

 3. That you may pronounce, from the external shape of 

 a fig, which kind of floret prevails — the stigma-bcar- 

 ing in the pear-shaped ( /ig. 507. a), the anther-bearing 

 in the squat figs (b) ; 4. That fig-trees, which put forth crops of figs, and cast them, 

 most probably do so from defect of setting. [Hort. Trans, v. 168, 169.) 



4868. Insects and diseases. The fig is subject to few of either of these' in this country. 

 In forcing-houses it is liable, in common with other plants, to the attacks of the red spi- 

 der, coccus, and aphides, and occasionally also on garden-walls. The remedies are 

 obvious. In France they are attacked by a species of coccus, vulgarly called the fig- 

 louse, which proves very injurious, and is only to be destroyed by rubbing them off with 

 a coarse cloth. 



SuBSECT. 4. Melon. — Cucumis Mela, L. Moncecia Monadelpliia, L. and Cucurbi- 

 tacece, J. .Melon, Fr. ; Melone, Ger. j and Mellone, Ital. 



4869. The melon is a tender annual, producing one of the richest fruits brought to the 

 dessert, and cultivated in England since 1570 j but the precise time of its introduction, 

 and the native country of the plant, are both unknown. It was originally brought here 

 from Jamaica, and was, till within the last fifty years, called the musk-melon. The fruit, 

 to be grown to perfection, requires the aid of artificial heat, and glass, throughout every 

 stage of its culture. Its minimum temperature may be estimated at 65% in which it will 

 germinate and groAv ; but it requires a heat of from 75*^ to 80° to ripen its fruit, which, 

 in ordinary cases, it does in four months from the time of sowing the seed. 



4870. Varieties. There are numerous varieties, many of which, especially those raised 

 from seeds brought from Italy and Spain, are not worth cultivating. The best sorts are 

 included under the name of cantaleupes, an appellation bestowed on them from a seat of 

 the Pope near Rome, where this variety is supposed to have been originally produced. 

 The general character of the cantaleiq^es is a roundish form, rough, warty, or netted outer 

 coat ; neither very large in fruit or leaves. The Romanas, the Italian sort, next in 

 esteem, are generally oval-shaped, regularly netted ; the fruit and leaves middle-sized, and 

 the plants great bearers. Many varieties of both these sorts, however, that were formerly 

 in esteem, are now lost, degenerated, or supplanted by others of Spanish or Persian origin. 

 The following are among the best both of the old and new varieties : — 



The early golden cantaleupe. It is deep- 

 furrowed, middle-sized, longish, golden 

 colored ; flesh not very high-colored 

 nor high-flavored. The plant grows 

 freely, shows early, sets its fruit well ; 

 and is a very great bearer. 



The orange cantaleupe. Smaller than 

 the above, round, and pale-yellow. 

 The flesh, when just fit for cutting, 

 is orange ; but when riper, it is more 

 red. As it swells and ripens, it be- 

 comes partly netted. In respect to 

 flavor, It is excelled by none of the 

 melon kind ; being juicy, sugary, and 

 rich. The plant is a free grower, an 

 early setter, and a great bearer. 



The netted cantaleupe. This is equally 

 juicy and high-flavored as the last- 

 mentioned ; a good deal larger, round, 

 solid, and very ponderous ; having a 

 very small vacuum for the seeds ; and 

 it may be eaten nearer to the rind than 



most other kinds. The plant sets freely 

 and is a good bearer. 



The silver cantaleupe. Round, of a mid- 

 dle size, shallow furrowed; and when 

 full-grown, before it begins to color, is 

 all over mixed silver and green. A 

 very good bearer. 



The black rock cantaleupe. This is a 

 very large-growing melon ; round, 

 black, or very dark green when full 

 grown, but yellow \vhen ripe. It is 

 juicy, but not so high-flavored as any 

 of the above cantaleupes, except the 

 first-named ; nor is the plant so good 

 a bearer. Four or five fruit in a light 

 is a medium crop. 



The carbuncled rock cantaleupe. Two 

 varieties, a large and a small ; both 

 very similar to the black rocks, as to 

 color and flavor; but flat or cheese- 

 shaped, and covered with large protu- 

 berances or carbuncles. The small 



kind bears pretty freely, and the lai-ge 

 sort less so. 



Lee's rock cantaleupe. Rather long than 

 round, and more green than black. 

 The flesh and flavor much the same as 

 those of the last-mentioned variety. 



The Italian green-fleshed cantaleupe. 

 Small, nearly globose; usually about 

 four inclies and a half in diameter- 

 coat pale greenish-white, moderately 

 thin ; flesh opaque, soft, and melting ; 

 in flavor both rich and sweet. (Hoi-t. 

 Trans, iv. 319 ) 



The smooth scarlet-fleshed cantaleupe. 

 Roundish, inclining to oval ; outside 

 greenish-yellow, with fine white ver- 

 micular reticulations ; flesh nearly an 

 inch and a half in thickness, of a 

 uniform bright scarlet from the edge 

 of the coat to the centre, and tolerably 

 firm ; it is particularly high flavored 

 (Hort. Trans, iv. 320.) 



