78 



THE AMERICAN GARDENER. [Chap. 



seed, this rule has it ; for, English authors published 

 it, and French authors laughed at it, more than a 

 century past! 



153. The reader will observe, that, in England, 

 a melon is a melon ; that they are not, there, 

 brought into market in wagon loads and boat loads, 

 and tossed down in immense heaps on the stones ; 

 but, are carried, by twos, or threes, and with as much 

 care as a new-born baby is carried. In short, they 

 are sold at from a dollar to four dollars apiece. 

 This alters the case. Those who can afford to have 

 melons raised in their gardens, can afford to keep 

 a conjuror to raise them ; and a conjuror will hardly 

 condescend to follow common sense in his practice. 

 This would be lowering the profession in the eyes 

 of the vulgar ; and, which would be very danger- 

 ous, in the eyes of his employer. However, a 

 great deal of this stuff is traditionary ; and, as waj 

 observed before, how are we to find the conscience 

 to blame a gardener for errors inculcated by gen- 

 tlemen of erudition ! 



154. I cannot dismiss this part of my subject 

 without once more cautioning the reader against 

 the danger of unripe seed. In cases where winter 

 overtakes you before your seed be quite ripe, the 

 best way is to pull up the plants and hang them by 

 the heels in a dry, airy place, till all green depart 

 from the stalks, and until they be quite dry, and 

 wholly rid of juice. Even in hot weather, when 

 the seed would drop out, if the plants were left 

 standing, pull, or cut, the plants, and lay them on 

 a cloth in the sun, till the seed be all ready to fall 

 out ; for, if forced from the pod, the seed is never 

 80 good. Seeds will grow if gathered when they are 

 green as grass, and afterwards dried in the sun ; but 

 they do not produce plants like those coming from 



