MELON. 



71 



warts on the rind, the flesh greener, and more firm. — Well fla- 

 vored. 



Netted Citron is an oyal fruit, roughly netted all over, of a 

 pale yellowish green when ripe ; grows to a good size 5 from 

 two to five pounds : flesh, green, firm, juicy, and high flavored, 

 This variety commands the highest price in Philadelphia mar- 

 ket, and its quality depends on its genuine purity. Seeds 

 should be two years old before sowing. 



Rock Melon. — Fruit of an oval, round shape, rind green, 

 with large white warts or rocky appearances thereon, hence 

 its name. Flesh solid, of a yellowish color, rich and melting ; 

 in size, equal to the former. 



Culture. — The Melon is cultivated in a similar manner to 

 the Cucumber. The soil and treatment that grows the one 

 will grow the other, though the Melon prefers a dryer atmos- 

 phere, and is more liable to die off after heavy rains than the 

 former. To have it in perfection, it should not be grown in 

 the vicinity of Squashes, Gourds, Pumpkins, Cucumbers, or 

 any variety of the family, or it will invariably become im- 

 pregnated with the inferior flavor of its congeners. In a 

 small Garden, it is not possible to grow all these sorts without 

 contamination. It is therefore better to plant all Squashes 

 and Pumpkins in the field. A bed twenty-two feet square 

 will grow sixteen hills, each six feet apart. Mark the spaces 

 by the line each way : dig out the earth one foot deep and two 

 feet wide, spreading it about : then fill up the holes thus made 

 six inches higher than the surrounding ground, with rich, light 

 compost — very old, rotten manure, sand, and garden earth, in 

 equal parts, will do. Into these conical heaps or hills, about 

 the first of May, sow eight or ten seeds, half an inch deep and 

 a few inches apart. As soon as the plants have made two 

 rough leaves, thin them out, leaving four only to each hill. 

 When each have made four or five rough leaves, pinch the 

 point of each shoot to make the plants branch out and fruit 



