The "Practical Kitchen Gardiner. 1 1 r. 



till about the middle or latter end of 

 March, before you plant them out, then 

 you may expeft good cucumbers in the 

 latter end of April, or beginning of 

 May ; and good melons by the begin- 

 ning of June, when the weather begins 

 to grow hot, and the more eager palates 

 and eaters of garden-fluff naturally re- 

 quire them s it being, in my opinion, 

 much better to have a good cucumber 

 or a good melon in May ox: June, than 

 to have ten bad ones a month or two 

 fooner, and I am fure much more heal- 

 thy, the others being very little better 

 than poifon. But to conclude this trea- 

 tife of melons and cucumbers, which I 

 have endeavoured to handle with all the 

 diftindion and clearnefs I can : cucum- 

 bers do not require the pruning, the' 

 they bear more water than melons do s 

 nor fhould they be left naked or bare, 

 efpecially when young, to the open fun, 

 all fruits thriving befl under cover, till 

 about a week or ten days before you 

 fappofe it fit to cut 5 nor fhould the 

 vines be twifled to accelerate their ri- 

 pening, nor other ways moved, without 

 great care, fince, as Mr. Bradley obferves^ 

 the veiTels which convey the juices to 



