AND GENERAL CROPS OF MELONS. 273 



noon ; and all times when the weather changes 

 very cold, shut close, and also every night, and 

 more particularly when the bed is an advanced 

 state. 



The covering the glasses with mats by night 

 may be continued, more or less, till the middle 

 of June, to be guided by the season and the 

 temperature of the weather, uncovering in the 

 morning about sun-rise, or as soon after as 

 convenient. In hot weather, when the sun 

 appears too powerful for the plants, so as to 

 cause them to flag, afford them a slight shade, 

 by laying over the glasses a thin mat, or a little 

 light litter for about three or four hours, during 

 the great heat of the sun, in the middle of the 

 day. 



Should the plants become very crowded in the 

 frame, by the vines becoming too numerous, 

 thin them out by cutting away some of the weak 

 unfruitful runners. Likewise remove decayed 

 clusters of male bloom, but not the fresh blos- 

 soms, while the fruit is setting ; and thin out 

 the old leaves, and always remove those which 

 become decayed. 



n 5 



