MELON 



411 



down into the too rich manure under- 

 neath. Given ^ a square ridge of 

 fairly stiff turfy loam, made tolerably 

 firm (this will render watering an 

 easy matter), and occasional slight 

 top-dressings with good soil to which 

 has been added a sprinkling of 

 manure, and no difficulty will be ex- 

 perienced in maintaining a healthy 

 surface root action. The best varie- 

 ties to cultivate ought in every case 

 to depend upon circumstances — 

 whether green-fleshed or scarlet- 



fleshed, large, medium, or small, 

 ought to be settled in accordance 

 with what may be required. Some 

 think the exigencies of the case are 

 met by growing as many varieties as 

 there are plants ; but this, although 

 an interesting experiment, is far from 

 being politic. At the present time 

 I have seeds of upwards of twenty 

 varieties in a seed-drawer, but of 

 these only three varieties will be 

 grown, and one of these only by 

 way of experiment." 



Uses. — The fruit are eaten raw. In the south of France, some 

 white-fleshed or green-fleshed kinds are preserved, or made into 

 jam. The young fruit which are pinched off may be eaten like 

 young Gourds or Cucumbers, or may be pickled in vinegar, like 

 Gherkins. 



There are numerous classifications of Melons. Of these we 

 shall follow the simplest and most common one, which divides 

 them into the two groups of the Netted and the Cantaloup or 

 Scabby-skinned Melons. 



I. NETTED MELONS 



French, Melons brodes. Gey-man, Netz-Melone. Italian^ Popone primaticcio. 

 Spanish, Melon escrito. 



Red-fleshed Pine-apple Melon. — A vigorous, branching plant, 

 with medium-sized or small, entire, rounded leaves, of a slightly 

 glaucous green colour. Fruit very long stalked, with 

 slightly marked ribs, and a delicate green colour, 

 very plentifully dotted with black-green ; the furrows 

 between the ribs are very shallow and of a clear 

 green colour, and the ribs themselves are slightly 

 netted when the fruit is quite ripe ; rind thin. The 

 fruit is from about 3 to 4 in. in diameter, and weighs 

 from about ten ounces and a half to over one pound. 

 The flesh is red, rather firm, sweet, juicy, and highly Red-fleshed 

 perfumed. In this variety the central cavity seldom ^^^lekfif^^ 

 exceeds the size of a walnut. naturaTsize). 



Green-fleshed Pine-apple, . or Jersey Green 

 Citron, Melon. — The principal difference between this and the 

 preceding variety is in the colour of the flesh, which is of a pale 

 green, with a yellow tinge in the vicinity of the seeds ; the 

 leaves also are somewhat larger and lighter coloured. The plant 

 continues growing for a longer time, and the skin of the fruit 



