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ON THE CULTIVATION OF VARIOUS KINDS OF MELONS. 
ON THE CULTIVATION OF VARIOUS KINDS OF MELONS. 
By G. T. 
The melon has been cultivated in this country many years, but the precise period of its 
introduction is scarcely known. Most of the original sorts have been long since 
discarded, and their successors, the Cantaloupes and Romanas, although deservedly 
esteemed, have in a great degree been superseded by others of Indian or Persian origin, 
for the introduction of which we are indebted to Botanical travellers, and scientific officers 
of the Indian army, who not only forwarded home seeds of some of the best Melons in 
cultivation, but also included directions for their management ; and the present notice is 
mainly intended to introduce a few practical observations respecting the Cabul and Persian 
kinds, which when properly grown are exceedingly delicious. 
With respect to structures for the growth of this fruit, none are equal to houses or pits 
heated by means of hot-water pipes and tanks ; for although good fruit can be obtained 
from dung beds, and the old constructed pits, yet a Melon-house is in every respect 
preferable, either for ornament, utility, convenience, cleanliness, or economy. 
As an ornamental structure, the Melon-house may form part of the range of Vineries, 
or Peach-houses ; and when the fruit hangs cradled from the roof, in different stages of 
growth, and exhibiting various colours, according to age or kind, such a structure becomes 
truly ornamental. 
In point of utility much may be said, to show to how many useful purposes the skilful, 
contriving gardener can convert such a structure. 
Late in autumn when the last Melon crop is gone, he will force roses, pinks, and other 
flowers ; cultivate stove-plants intended for bouquets or decorative purposes, and force in 
pots or tubs, plunged over the tanks, grapes, peaches, figs, or cherries, according to the 
extent of his Melonry, or the particular requirements of his employer. 
On the return of spring, a few Melons will be introduced for the earliest crop, and as 
grapes, &c., ripen off in February, March and April, the house can be again entirely 
devoted to the production of Melons, until the succeeding winter. 
For cleanliness and convenience, there is no comparison betwixt it and forcing on the 
old dung-bed system, for besides the unsightliness of the litter attending the latter, the 
growing fruit can never be viewed to advantage, or approached but with inconvenience, both 
which objections are entirely obviated by erecting a house for the purpose. 
The compost most congenial to the well-doing of the latter, we have found to be a good 
substantial loam, taken from the surface of a common or pasture, with all the inferior 
vegetation adhering to it; if sheep or cattle have long been fed upon it, so much the better; 
it should be used fresh dug and roughly chopped to pieces, without any admixture of a 
stimulative character whatever. We have, however, known the best success attend their 
being planted in the scrapings of ditches, and in mud obtained from the bottom of 
stagnant pools, after having undergone considerable exposure to the atmosphere, and 
having a good substratum of roughly broken lumps of turf sod, in a fresh state, beneath 
the compost ; and this would seem to be the most natural medium for them to root in, 
when we reflect that in countries whence they come, the Melon is made to grow in beds of 
rivers from which the water has receded, the stream at this period of the year being 
confined to the small part of the channel, and hence there is an ample and constant supply 
of moisture at the roots : for since the beds are composed of nothing but the natural 
shingle, or loose gravel which forms the bed of the river, the water is consequently 
enabled to percolate freely beneath their whole extent. 
Whatever soil or compost is employed for the growth of Melons, we deem it of 
the greatest importance that it be in as rough and lumpy a state as possible, with no 
other admixture than an abundance of broken bricks, potsherds, lumps of charcoal, broken 
bones, &c., to preserve porosity in the mass, as well as absorb moisture, and thus ensure 
a hollow humid medium for the roots to extend in, and protrude themselves through ; for 
