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There are fome Perfons, who 

 make thefe Frames of broad Hoops, 

 in Imitation of the Covers of Wag- 

 gons : but as thefe are cumberfome 

 to move, and there are no Conve- 

 niences for admitting Air to the 

 Plants, but by raifing the whole 

 Frame on one Side, I prefer thofe 

 made of Pantile-laths, fram'd like a 

 Ridge of an Houfe ; and each Slope, 

 having Hinges, may be raifed at 

 Pleafure to admit the Air to thePlants. 



The farther Management of the 

 Melons, after their Fruit is fet, is 

 to keep pulling off all the fuper- 

 fluous Fruit, and to pinch off all 

 weak Runners, which may draw 

 away Part of the Nourifhment from 

 the Fruit ; as alfo to turn the Fruit 

 gently twice a Week, that each Side 

 may have equal Benefit of the Sun 

 and Air: for when they are fuffer'd 

 to lie with the fame Side conftantly 

 to the Ground, that Side will be- 

 come of a pale or whitilh Colour, 

 as if it were blanched, for want of 

 the Advantages of the Sun and Air. 

 The Plants will require a little Wa- 

 ter in very dry Weather ; but this 

 fhould be given them in the Alleys, 

 at a Diilance from the Stems of the 

 Plants, and not oftener than once a 

 Week ; at which times the Ground 

 fhould be well foaked in the Alleys. 

 This will encourage the Growth of 

 Fruit, andcaufe the Flclh to be thick; 

 but the great Caution which is ne- 

 ceffary to beobferved, is, not to over- 

 water the Plants, which is a certain 

 Injury to them : alfo be fure to give 

 as much free Air as poffible, at all 

 times, when the Weather will per- 

 mit ; for this is abiblutely necefTary 

 to render the Fruit good. 



When the Fruit is fully grown, 

 they mull be duly watched to cut 

 them at a proper time ; for* If they 

 are left a few Hours too long upon 

 the Vines, they wiU lofe much of 



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their Delicacy; therefore they fhouM 

 be looked over at leall twice every 

 Day ; and if thofe Fruit which are 

 intended for the Table, are cut early 

 in the Morning, before the Sun ha* 

 warmed them, they will be muck 

 better flavour'd : but if any mould 

 require to be cut afterward, they 

 fhould be put into cold Spring-wa- 

 ter, or Ice, to cool them, before 

 they are brought to the Table ; and 

 thofe cut in the Morning fhould be 

 kept in the coolell Place till they are 

 ferved up to the Table. The Sign 

 of this Fruit's Maturity is, that of its 

 beginning to crack near the Foot- 

 ftalk,and its beginning to fmell, whick 

 never fail: for as thefe Cantaleupe 

 Melons feldom change their Colour 

 until they are too ripe, that fhould 

 never be waited for. 



In faving of the Seeds, I need not 

 repeat here, that only fuch fhould 

 be regarded, as are taken from the 

 firmeft Fruit, and thofe which have 

 the high eft Flavour ; and if thefe 

 are taken out with the Pulp intire, 

 without difplacing the Seeds, and 

 fuffered to remain in the Pulp two or 

 three Days before it is wafhed out, 

 the better ; and then to prtferve on- 

 ly the heavy Seeds, which fink in 

 the Water. 



MELOCACTUS. Vide Ca&iw. 



MELOCARDUUS. Vide Cac- 

 tus. 



MELOCHIA. Vide Corchorus. 



MELON. Vide Melo. 



MELONGENA, Mad-apple. 

 The Characters are ; 



The Flower confjis of one heaf 9 

 f japed like a Wheel, and cut into many 

 Segments : from the Flower- cup arifes 

 the Ovary , which becomes, a fiefiy 

 Fruit, full of kidney-Jhafd Seeds. 



Dr. Linn&us has joined this Genus 

 of Plants with the Lycoperfcon to his 

 Genus of Solanum : but thefe fhould 

 bz feparated, if we will allow the 



Fruit 



