M E 



M E 



cf the Beds, to give room for the 

 Vines to run out from under them : 

 but when this is done, the Beds 

 mould be covered all over with 

 Earth to the Depth of one Foot and 

 an half, and trod down as clofe as 

 pofiible : and if the Nights mould 

 prove cold, there mould be a Co- 

 vering of Mats put over the Beds, to 

 prevent the Cold from injuring the 

 tender Shoots of the Vines : but as 

 the Vines of the Cantaloupe Melons 

 are impatient of Wet, it will be ne- 

 ceffary to arch the Beds over with 

 Hoops, to fupport the Mats, that 

 they may be ready for covering at 

 all times when they require it ; 

 which is the only fure Method to 

 have thefe Melons fucceed in Eng- 

 land, where the Weather is fo very 

 uncertain and variable ; for I have 

 had feme Beds of thefe Melons in 

 as fine Order under thefe GlafTes as 

 could be defired, which were to- 

 tally deftroyed by one Day's heavy 

 Rain in June. 



After the Thicknefs of Earth is 

 laid upon the Beds, if the Weather 

 {hould prove cold, it will be advife- 

 able to dig Trenches on each Side of 

 the Beds, into which you mould lay 

 a fufficient Quantity of hot Dung, 

 to make it the fame Thicknefs with 

 the Bed, after the manner before di- 

 rected for the Frames ; or if you 

 have a fufficient Quantity of hot 

 Dung ready, the whole Space be- 

 tween the Beds may be dug out, and 

 filled up with the Dung, laying 

 thereon the Earth a Foot and an half 

 deep, treading it down clofe : this 

 new Dung will add a frefh Warmth 

 to the Beds, and caufe the Plants to 

 fhevv Fruit foon after. 



The Watering of thefe Plants mult 

 be done with great Caution, and 

 not given to their Stems; the pinch- 

 ing of the Runners muft alfo be duly 

 attended to ; as alfo the pulling off 



all fuperfluous Fruit, to encourage 

 thofe which are defigned to remain; 

 and, in fhort, every thing before di- 

 rected for thofe under Frames mult 

 lukewife be obferved for thefe ; and 

 the farther Care is, to cover them in 

 all hard Rains, and cold Nights, with 

 Mats ; which if performed with Care, 

 there will be little Danger of their 

 mifcarrying ; and thefe Vines will 

 remain vigorous until the Cold in 

 Autumn deitroys them. 



There have been many Perfons, 

 who of late Years have raifed their 

 Melons under oiled Paper ; and in 

 many Places they have fucceeded 

 well ; but where this is praclifed, 

 there mull be great Care taken not 

 to keep thefe Coverings too clofe 

 over them ; for where that is done, 

 the Vines will draw very weak, and 

 rarely fet their Fruit in any Plenty; 

 therefore where thefe Coverings are 

 propofed to be ufed, I mould ad- 

 vife the bringing up of the Plants 

 under Hand or Bell-glafTes, in the 

 manner before directed, until they 

 are grown far enough to be let out 

 from under the Glalfes ; and then, 

 inftead of the Covering with Mats,- 

 to put over the oiled Paper : and if 

 this Covering is prudently managed, 

 it will be the belt that can be ufed : 

 the belt Sort of Paper for this Pur- 

 pofe is that which is ftrong, and not 

 of too dark Colour ; and it mould 

 be done over with Linfeed - oil, 

 which will dry foon. There mould 

 be a proportionable Number of 

 the Sheets of this Paper pafted to- 

 gether, as will fpread to the Dimen- 

 fions of the Frame to which it is to 

 be fattened ; and if this is fixed to 

 the Frame, before the Oil is rubbed 

 over it, fo .much the better: but 

 this mould be done fo long before 

 they are ufed, as that the Oil may be 

 thoroughly dry, and the Stench gone 

 oft, other wife 1: will deitroy the Plants. 

 6 Ther* 



