The TraEiical Kitchen Gardiner. 



in warmer countries, as in France-, Spain^ 

 ^c, is proper enough, yet with us in 

 England, where even our fummer nights 

 and cold dews are like fo many win- 

 ter ones beyond fea, thofe coverings 

 ought to be kept on to preferve your fruit 

 dry, and free from all noxious dews and 

 other moifture, and which often happens; 

 during this fecurity, and premeditated 

 carelefsnefs, fuch ftorms of hail, rain 

 and thunder have fallen, as have at once 

 marr d all the labour and hopes of the 

 preceding fpring and fummer 5 at- leaft, 

 it fills the melons full of water, and 

 makes them eat flattifh and infipid. 

 Where note, that towards the latter 

 end of the feafon, you are not to wa- 

 ter at all, except there be the greateft 

 occafion imaginable j and the curious 

 mclonifts fhouid not be fond of mak- 

 ing his fruit (as gardiners too oft do, 

 and find themfelves in it) to fwell too 

 much in bignefs, as they endeavour to 

 make them have a good tafte and fla- 

 vour i on which account it is that all 

 melons fhouid be laid on a tile, and 

 oft=times turn*d, that it may ripen the 

 better, which when it has, by the addi- 

 tion of a little hand-glafs in the bargain, 



it 



