730 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Mat/. 



as a protection from frost at night. Beds of a similar nature 

 have been recommended by a writer in the Ilort. Trans. ^ but 

 it is only in very favorable situations that these fi-uits can be 

 produced in any perfection upon such beds, witliout the as- 

 sistance of glass. 



The market-gardeners in the vicinity of London, produce 

 great crops of melons upon ridges similar to those already 

 described for cucumbers, making the ridges parallel to each 

 other, and as their heat declines, they fill up the spaces 

 between them Math fresh dung, which adds fresh heat to the 

 plants, while it completes the beds for the plants to run upon. 



The distance at which the plants are placed from each other, 

 that is, the patches, or holes of three plants each, is about 

 four feet or four and a half feet. When the plants are planted, 

 give a little water to settle the mould round their roots, and 

 put on the glasses over them, which should remain close down 

 for a day or two, if the bed be not very warm. As soon as 

 the plants have struck root, the glasses may be elevated a 

 little by degrees, so as to admit of a sufficient quantity of air 

 for their support ; this air to be gradually augmented until 

 they be finally established, and then the glasses may be re- 

 moved during fine days, but replaced every evening. It 

 will be necessary to cover them also at nights with mats, for 

 fear of frost, which not unfrequently happens during th'' 

 month, and which, if the plants be not protected from it, would 

 entirely destroy them. For a few days after the plants are 

 put out, shade them from the full sun a few hours every day ; 

 and as they get established, let such shading be discontinued 

 by degrees, thus accustoming them to the full power of the 

 sun. When the plants have covered the space under the 

 glasses, they should be allowed to escape out under them, 

 but it will not bo before the end of the month that they can 

 be considered as safe from slight frosts. Those shoots which 

 extend beyond the limits of the glasses, must be carefully 

 protected from cold (yx injury, by covering not only at night, 

 but also during the coldest part of some days, but this cover- 

 ing must be determined by the state of the temperature of the 

 weather. As they extend beyond the limits of the glasses, 

 their shoots aie to be regulated and pegged down to the 



