I9£ OF RAISING MELONS. SECT. XIV. 



examined and rubbed in a dry cloth, and it may be kept 

 for feveral years. 



* OF RAISING MELONS. 



See Melon in the next Se&ion, 



MELONS are raifed much in the fame way as cu- 

 cumbers. They mould not, however, be thought of 

 fo early, and from the middle of February to the middle 

 of March will (for moll perfons) be foon enough to 

 fow them. The place where they are cultivated mould 

 be iveli fheltered, fo that winds may blow over the 

 frames, as mentioned in the direftions about hot -beds. 

 They require a flronger foil to grow in than cucum- 

 bers, and more heat, both at bottom and top, and need 

 lefs water : they take up more room, fo that one plant, 

 or at mod two, will be enow under one full fized light. 

 Cucumbers may be raifed on a feed led till fit to plant 

 out on the fruit bed; but melons will (generally at 

 leaft) require an intermediate bed. During the whole 

 time of the cultivation of melons, (till high fummer) 

 they mull have a lively bottom heat, in order to bring 

 them forward, and fucceed well; and, if melons are late, 

 as foon as September enters, a lining of hot dung may be 

 put to the bed, to afford feme degree of heat to the 

 outer roots, as an equivalent to the failure of the feafon. 

 Melons never do well in a fhady fummer. As cucum- . 

 hers are about three months coming in, fo melons are 

 about four. They fet their fruit in about two months, 

 and are about the fame time in ripening, though forty 

 days will fometimes effefl: it. 



The feed of melons (procured from well ripened and 

 fine flavoured fruit) lhould be about four years old, 

 though fome prefer it much older, as judging it fo much, 

 the lefs likely to run to vine; If it is too old, however, 



it 



