( m ) 
IxtrAH of a Letter 
of M. deh Quintinie, giving f^me further dire^iens and 
ohfervations About Melons; fromifed in a manner zb 
the Number next fore-going 
M Y great care this laft Month ' ; ^ 
hathbeen,altogethertoremove ^J^X^^^^^^^^ 
the fmal feeble branches( on which *tis 
not likely that my or any good fmit will grow ) and to leave 
none but good branches. Whcn-ever you have a Melon, w hich 
corns well 3 knit on a branch, ycumuftnot fail to cut away the 
reft of that branch , on this fide of the fruit , to the end that all 
the Rour iftiment, that would have been difper fed into the whole 
branch, may pafs into that fruit, which is found at the extremity 
^of the branch 5 taking care notwithflanding 3 that the fruit be 
covered by fome leavs of the other branches^ for its better growth 
under thefliade, in thofe parts where 'tis very hot. 
As to the time of the maturity of Melons , I mufttel you I 
that I fliould have begun to cat fome, S. or io.dayesagoe> bac 
that the Seafon hath been very unkind for 3. months together, 
a North- winde having reigned all that time, and reigning ftill,^ 
and caufing cold nights 5 infomuch that I have not yet remov'd 
my Gltfs-bells from them, which elfel had done 3. weeks agoe, 
I had knitted ones fmce the end of Afril^ fothat, there com- 
monly needing no more than 40. days from the time of a Melons 
knitting to that of its ripenefs , I Ihould have eat of 
them before this time. Buttotcl you the truth, I have the ad- 
vantage of having Melons knit, 3,wecksfooner5 than any body, 
I know, in this Country. 
For the keeping of the Seed, you muft take no other Seed 
but fuch, as is found in that part of the Melon, which hath been 
towards the Sun: And at the fame time you eat the Melons ^ 
youmuft wellcleanfe fuch Seeds, and rub them with a linnen 
cloth , until they be very clean and dry 5 then putting them up 
ia fome convenient Clofettill Seed-time. 
Remember, nottoeatthe Melons but fome 24. hours after 
the/ have been gathered 5 putting them in the mean time in a 
O o 0 o 2 dry 
