JAN.] 



THE GARDENER, 



83 



from the fermenting matter without, through thin 

 brick-work perforated with small holes. The heat 

 enters into a bed of leaves, inside which pine apples 

 melons, &c., &c. and flowers, may be grown ; but as 

 such constructions are expensive in the first instance, 

 and the supply of dung required for linings to pro- 

 duce the necessaiy heat is considerable, it is ques- 

 tionable whether there be much economy in the method. 

 The amateur, however, who can afibrd such expense, 

 will find it efiective. 



The mode of heating the pits by hot water conveyed 

 through pipes or flues, used by the late ^Ir. Knight 

 for his Persian melons (which are far more tender than 

 the cantaloup kind), is well known to the metropolitan 

 horticulturists, and is such that, while it answers in the 

 upper part for melons and cucumbers, it enables the 

 gardener at the same time to force seakale, kc. &c. 



The cantaloup melons, of which there are many va- 

 rieties, the rock, the Dutch, and che early cantaloup- 

 all of which are red* in the flesh — bein g among the most 

 approved, are easily raised under glass in our country, 

 though it is a native of the climates of the east, and 

 has long been naturalized in Italy. 



I shall extract in a condensed form, and omitting 

 what is not to the point in this month, the directions 

 for the culture of the cantaloup from an article in the 

 Penny Cyclopsedia, which in a short compass furnishes 

 the most complete information respecting it ; — 



" About four months may be allowed, on an average, 

 for the period between the sowing of melons and the 

 ripening of the fruit. The middle of January is found 

 to be early enough to sow ; and the young plants are 

 so exceedingly tender, that accidents are then very 

 likely to occur to them. It is on this account neces- 

 sary to make successive sowings, in order to be pre-. 



• The green-fleshed melons of small size are also excellent. 



