262 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



with a rofe, fo as not to wafh up the mould on the plants : 

 at the fame time throw great plenty of water on the lights 

 and fides of the boxes. After you have done watering, lay 

 the Vines gently down again in their former pofition. If a 

 funny day, let the mats remain as before directed until the 

 leaves of the plants are perfectly dry, admitting air according 

 to the heat of the day. 



Before the frames and lights are ufed, I would recommend 

 wa filing them well, both infide and out ; firft, with clean 

 water, and then with foap-fuds and urine mixed ; ufing a 

 brufh or woollen rag in the wafhing ; this will kill the eggs 

 of the fpiders and other infects that may have been depofited 

 the preceding feafon. 



When the ridges are fit for putting the mould on for the 

 hills to plant the Melons in, it fhould be from a foot to fifteen 

 inches deep, and the reft of the bed fhould be covered with 

 light mould, or rotten leaves, about one inch deep to keep 

 down the fleam. Take care not to make the hills too broad 

 at fir ft (a wheel-barrow full and a half will be enough for 

 one hill), and obferve that the heat is not too great, which 

 will burn the mould and the roots of the plants. You will 

 know when the beds are of a fine temperate heat, from (ticks 

 ftuck in at different parts of the bed, by the feel of your hand, 

 and the fticks having a pleafant fweet fmell. 



It will be very proper to water the hills, with a watering-pot 

 having a rofe, once a day for two or three days before you 

 put in the plants, keeping the lights fhut, which will deftroy 

 any eggs of the fpider that may yet remain in the crevices of 

 the boxes and lights. 



The day on which you mean to put in the plants, you 

 fhould give the beds a great deal of air, to let out the fteani 



that 



