M E 



the Mowings of Grafs, laid of a 

 fuffieient Depth to caufe a Fermen- 

 tation ; by which the Fruit becomes 

 coloured : but as this unnatural Me- 

 thod is praclifed, the Fruit hath little 

 Flem ; and that has neither Moiit- 

 ure, Firmnefs, or Flavour : fo 

 that after four Months Attendance, 

 with a great Fxpence of Dung, oV. 

 there may perhaps be three or four 

 Brace of Melons produced, which 

 are fitter for the Dunghil than the 

 Table: therefore my Advice is, ne- 

 ver to attempt to have thefe Fruit 

 ripe earlier than the middle of Junt> 

 which is generally foon enough for 

 this Climate ; and from that time to 

 the End of September, they may be 

 had in plenty, if they are fKilfulIy 

 managed: and when the Autumn 

 has continued favourable, I have 

 had them very good in the middle 

 oi October. 



But in order to continue this Fruit 

 fo long, the Seeds mull be fown at 

 two different Seafons ; or if at three, 

 it will be ftiU better : the firlt mould 

 be fown about the middle of Fe- 

 bruary' f if the Seafon proves for- 

 ward i but if it is otherwife, it will 

 be better to defer it till the End of 

 that Month; for the future Succefs 

 greatly depends on the raifing the 

 Plants in Strength ; which cannot be 

 fo well effected, if the Weather 

 mould prove fo bad, after the Plants 

 are come up, as that a fufficient 

 Quantity of frefh Air cannot be ad- 

 mitted to them ; therefore it is not 

 advifeable to be too early in fowing 

 the Seeds. 



When the Seafon is come, thefe 

 Seeds may be fown on the Upper- 

 tide of a Cucumber-bed, where there 

 are any ; and if there are none, a 

 proper Quantity of new Horfe-dung 

 muft be provided, which muft be 

 thrown in an Heap to fermenr, and 

 turned over, that it may acquire au 



M E 



equal Heat, in the fame manner as 

 hath been directed for Cucumbers 

 and the Plants muft be railed and 

 managed in the fame manner as hath 

 been directed for them, until they 

 are planted where they are to remain 

 for good : to which Article the Rea- 

 der .is defired to turn, to avoid Re- 

 petition. 



The fecond Seafon for fowing of 

 thefe Seeds is about the middle of 

 March; and both thefe Sowing? mull 

 be underRood to be planted under 

 Frames ; for thofe which are de- 

 figned for Bed or Hand glaffes, or 

 to be covered with Oil-papers, 

 mould not be fown till about a Week, 

 in April ; for when thefe are fown 

 earlier, if the Plants are properly 

 managed, they will grow fo far, as 

 to extend their Shoots to the Sides of 

 the Glafl'cs, before it will be fafe to 

 let them run out; for it often hap- 

 pens in this Country, that we have 

 lharp morning Frolh in the middle 

 of May ; fo that if the E::ds of thefe 

 Vines are then without the GlaiTes, 

 if they are not covered with Mats, 

 to guard them againll the Froft,they 

 will be in Danger of furrering great- 

 ly therefrom : and, on the other 

 hand, if the Plants have fpread fo 

 much as to fill the GlafTes, and are 

 not permitted to run out, they will 

 be in equal Danger of furFering by 

 their Confinement from the Sun, in 

 the Day-time : therefore it is, that 

 I mould advife the putting of the 

 Seed in rather a little later for the 

 Glade-, than thofe which are to be 

 covered with Oil papers : nor will 

 the times here mentioned be found 

 too late; for I have put the Seeds 

 of Cantahupe Mtlcns into an Hot- 

 bed the third of May, which were not 

 tranfplanted, but remained where 

 they were fown, and covered with 

 oiled Paper ; and from this Bed I 

 cut a large Crop of good Fruit, 

 K k k. 3 which 



