I9& 



of raising Melon s. 



SECT. XIV, 



ftalk ; and if they give not a full and pleafant fcent> 

 they will not prove good. Always cut melons in the 

 morning, and if fully ripe, they fhould not be kept more 

 than two or three days. If a melon is cut before it is 

 ripe, ('tis faidj it may be ripened, by wrapping it cloie 

 up in cloth, and placing it in a heap of warm horfe 

 dung for twenty- four hours. But the better way 

 would probably be, to treat them as unripe mcdlar?> 

 which article fee, in Seft. 17. 



# % * * $ # 



A second crop of melons is to be had, by Cow- 

 ing (in any other hot-bed, or one made' on purpofe) 

 from Mid-March to the beginning of April, according 

 to Cituation, as in a favourable one the Cowing may be 

 ventured on the later. TheCe mull be brought up as 

 before^ till flopped^ and then ridged out; i. e. when about 

 a month or five weeks oldT The method of which 

 ridging is, to make a trench in the ground four feet 

 wide, and deep according to the foil : If the ground is 

 dry, it H!?.y be from a toot to two feci deep , cr cthcrv.'ifc. 

 "but a lew inches. Lay in hot dung full two feet and a 

 half thick, being well fhook and beat together wkh the 

 fork. This trench mull be of length according to the 

 .number of plants defigned- to be put out. For each hole 

 (which fhould be full four feet afunder) put on good 

 melon earth, laid up in a round hill, to fifteen or eighteen 

 inches high; and then lay the earth, thrown out of the 

 trench, to the fides and top of the bed, about three or 

 four inches thick, breaking it fine, and cover all over 

 with mats to draw up the heat : But never expect ridged 

 out melons (particularly) to do well in a light foil. 

 When the earth is warm, put in the plants, two in a 

 "hole for only one ) giving a little warm water, and cover 

 -with large hand or bell glaffes, or oiled paper lights, 

 and proceed to manage according to that dtj retion 

 jvhich the directions already given about meims and 

 cucumbers have inculcated. 



As 



