S2 The Trafiical Kitchen Gardiner, 



it is that many other branches will in 

 like manner proceed, knit, and form 

 into excellent fruit, provided the plant 

 be planted in good mold, and not hurt 

 or burnt in the managing and covering. 

 Morefuccefs It is not to bc forgot (fays my au- 



Iz/rS^*^^^' P' ^^^^ ^^'^^^ middle like- 

 of melons, wife, between the feed-leaves, or large 

 and two firft leaves, there frequently 

 rifes another branch, which may be a- 

 bated or left on, as it's likely to prove, 

 efpecially if a vigorous one, which fhou'd 

 then be took away, and the firft branches 

 encouraged 5 as fhould likewife all others 

 that fhoot upwards 5 becaufe it is not in 

 the numbers, but in the quality and 

 goodnefs of branches that a good melon 

 plant confifts. And it muft be noted, 

 that it is in this, as in every thing bearing 

 fruit, it is the middling vines that bear 

 the beft 5 on which account, all very vi- 

 gorous and large runners fhould be nip'd 

 oiF 5 as alfo many, or moft of thofe that 

 are very weak and very fmall. And thus 

 much for the firft pruning of melon 

 plants, as they ftand either in the fecond 

 bed, or in the ridge. / - 



0/ the fe- There is yet another prunirig, Which 

 7ngcfml §^'^'^^ impoA as the firft/ or greater 5 



kns. and 



