By Tjiomas Andrew Knight, Esq, 221 



f or a bunch of grapes grew and ripened, when grafted upon 

 a leaf stalk ; and a succulent young shoot of the Vine, under 

 the same circumstances, acquired a growth of many feet*. 



The fruit, or seed-vessel, appears to be generated wholly 

 by the prepared sap of the plant, and its chief office to be 

 that of adapting the fluids, which ascend into it, to afford 

 proper nutriment to the seeds it contain sf . 



I proceed to offer some observations upon the proper 

 culture of the Melon. 



There is not, I believe, any species of fruit at present cul- 

 tivated in the gardens of this coun'i'y, which so rarely ac- 

 quires the greatest degree of perfection, which it is capable 

 of acquiring in our climate, as the Melon. It is generally 

 found so defective both in richness and flavour, that it ill 

 repays the expense and trouble of its culture ; and my own 

 gardener, though not defective in skill or attention, had 

 generally so little success, that I had given him orders not 

 to plant Melons again. Attending, however, after my orders 

 were given, more closely to his mode of culture, and to that 

 of other gardeners in my neighbourhood, I thought I saw 

 sufficient cause for the want of flavour in the fruit, in the 

 want of efficient foliage ; and appealing to experiment, I have 

 had ample reason to think my opinions well founded. 



The leaves of the Melon, as of every other plant, naturally 

 arrange themselves so as to present, with the utmost advan- 

 tage, their upper surfaces to the light : and if, by any means, 

 the position of the plant is changed, the leaves, as long as 

 they are young and vigorous, make efforts to regain their 

 proper position. But the extended branches of the Melon 



• Philosophical Transactions, 1803 and 1801. * Ibid. 1801. 



