162 



On the cultivation of the Melon, 



in being removed ; and as wood props soon decay in the ground, 

 I procured some small cast iron pipes two inches in diameter from 

 our Gas Works, and by cutting the pipes a little above the mould- 

 ing, this circular projection affords a secure shouldering for the 

 wood frame to rest on ; the lower end of the pipe goes into the 

 ground, and is secured in its place by a few small stones rammed 

 round it in the way of paving a street. Four long pipes support 

 the upper, or north side of the frame, and four short ones, the 

 lower or south side. The lower part of the pit is filled with a 

 mixture of old leaves, the winter prunings of raspberry plants, and 

 other twigs from wall trees and shrubs which every garden affords 

 in the spring, to these I add a little horse litter and the first mowings 

 of grass lawns, dusting in a little lime in powder, which hastens the 

 decomposition, kills insects, and keeps up a durable bottom heat for 

 some weeks. I find in the autumn the melon roots go through the 

 whole, down to the bottom of the pit, and when removed in the follow- 

 ing winter it affords an excellent compost for the garden. The Melon 

 plants are raised in small pots, each plant being in a separate pot, 

 the seed being sown in March or beginning of April ; this will give 

 time for each plant to be stopped twice in the seed-frame ; and they 

 will then afford female flowers from the lateral shoots, very soon 

 after they are planted at the end of May. I usually, when first the 

 plants are turned out of the seed pots, simply cover them with hand- 

 glasses, say the first fortnight, each glass being furnished with a 

 night-cap of matting to prevent the radiation of its accumulated 

 interior heat in clear nights. The glasses of course are raised on 

 one side, every sunny day to harden the plants as much as possible ; 

 and at the same time their use saves the trouble of moving, and 

 endangering the breaking of the frames. The bottom compost 

 is covered with about 9 or 10 inches of soil, and this soil with 

 slates, the principal runners being carefully spread, and pegged 

 down, that each leaf may receive its due portion of light. The 



