By Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. 325 



The fruit of the striped Hoosainee Melon Plant requires a very 

 long period to attain maturity, after it has attained its full growth, 

 and after it has apparently ceased to draw much nourishment from 

 the plant. During this period, I conceived, that the plants, having 

 all their foliage in a perfectly healthy state, must be in the act of 

 generating much more sap than they were expending, and I there- 

 fore suffered two plants, from which I took off the fruit in the end 

 of August, to remain wholly unpruned. Much fruit was in conse- 

 quence soon offered, and I obtained very good Melons for any 

 season, and perfectly well grown, in the latter end of the last month 

 (November) which fruit, I do not entertain any doubt, was chiefly 

 nourished by sap generated in the month of August. 



The quality of some Ispahan Melons, which I have sent to the 

 Society, has afforded, I believe, satisfactory evidence that that 

 variety has not become deteriorated by having been raised through 

 many successive generations in the unfavourable climate of this 

 place : but the following statement I think, affords strong evidence 

 that, like other highly improved varieties, it does degenerate under 

 our ordinary modes of culture. Sir Harford Jones Bridges, from 

 whom I, many years ago, first received seeds of this variety, informed 

 me in the beginning of the last year, that it had so much degene- 

 rated and diminished in size, that he had ceased to cultivate it. 

 He then received a few seeds from me, from which he assured me, 

 in the last month, that he had obtained Melons in the present year, 

 scarcely inferior to any he had eaten in Persia ;— conclusive evi- 

 dence, I think, that the finest Persian varieties of the Melon do not 

 necessarily degenerate in the climate of England. 



Every gardener, who has been in the habit of raising cucumbers 

 in winter, perfectly well knows the advantages of raising his plants 

 in July, or August, and preventing their expending themselves in 

 the production of blossoms, or fruit, till they have been introduced 

 into the stove. The general opinion of gardeners is, that such 



