i> LCT. XIV. OF RAISING MELONS, .199 



As t!ie bed {inks, and the roots fpread, take care to 

 add a good thicknefs of mould around the hill, for the 

 plants to ftrike into, and to keep them up : This may 

 be put in, a week or ten days, and it will keep out cold 

 air and wet from the dung: but it is beil not done at 

 fir ft. When the plants ipread to the extent oi the bed, 

 the ground about it mould be dug over, and rotten 

 dung buried to raife it to the level of the bed; but, 

 perhaps, this work lias been fuperfeded by the neceflity 

 vi a Hnmi to throw in heat. 



If the plants are tor ward enough to ridge out in 

 April, or beginning of May\ k may be proper to make 

 thefe beds on the level furfacc, or neftrlv fo, for the lake 

 of lining; but if later, they may be funk as directed 

 above, or deeper ftill, in a dry foil. Remember, it will 

 be necefTary to line, if there appears any likelihood of a 

 want of heat, before the iruit is Jet, and got a little 

 forward. Do it in tunc. 



If two ridges of melon plants, let there be four feet 

 (or more) of alley between them, and then a lining may 

 be applied of that width to heat both beds; and this 

 middle heat may be made ufe of to raife plants for the 

 third crop of cucumbers, or tender annual flowers, pur- 

 fane, &c. Give ridged out plants air on the J'outh fide.. 

 They will need more water when in the ridges than in 

 frames, and give ic wide, but little about the ftem, or 

 hardly there at all ; nor let it be applied cold, though a 

 fmall degree of warmth from the Jan, or otherwife will 

 do. Tins crop need never be fhaded but when the 

 leaves hang. When the plants cannot be contained 

 under the glaiTes, let them be carefully trained out, and 

 covered with mats all over on nights, and on days, in 

 bad weather, till July, particularly if much rain falls. 



With large oiled paper frames this work of the fee and 

 crop of melons may be very w T ell managed. The plants 

 mould be kept under hand glaiTes till too big for then>, 

 and then the paper lights may be put on, which con- 

 taining the runners till high fummer, they will be fafe. 



K 4 Yet 



