90 The Tragical Kitchen Gardiner, 



the root or ftalk of your melon plants 

 to touch the dung ; nor fhould you wa- 

 ter them immoderately, but when the 

 earth is very dry, and the feafon excef- 

 fively hot, refrefli and give the roots 

 drink, without deferring till the fhoots 

 complain, when it may come too late. 

 I water them (adds he) in thofe parching 

 feafons two or three times a week, and 

 in the evening, when the fun is fetting ; 

 covering them alfo with mattreffes in 

 the middle-part of the day. 

 O'.wojJii- It mud: be confefs'd that over-water- 

 imng the ^^^^^ ^.j^^ crrcatcft faults our 



cmfe of the ^ , ^ r j • 



badmjsof hngltjh garamcrs are guilty or, durmg 

 ihemelms. the v/liolc coiirfc of thcir care, from 

 the time that plants are ridged out, till 

 the fruit is cut, tho' there is nothing 

 fo cfFvCLually fpoils both vines and fruit 

 as this does (given in any degree too 

 much) and caufes the fruit to have all 

 that waterinefs and infipidity that its 

 maftcrs and owners complain of. To 

 avoid therefore, as much as poffible, this 

 fo much and fo juftly complain'd of 

 error, I re-prcfcribe (what I lately hint- 

 ed at) viz. my firft method of raking 

 away all the dry moid that lies upon 

 the ridge, under the vineS;, by holding 



them 



