12 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [Jan. 
frames and glasses, until the middle or latter end of May, especially 
in the middle and eastern states. 
But by the aid of hot-beds, defended with frames and glasses, we 
obtain early cucumbers, in young green fruit, fit to cut or gather in 
February, March and April, Sec. and ripe melons in May and June. 
The proper sorts of cucumbers for the early crops are the early 
short prickly, and long green prickly; of which the first sort comes 
earliest; but the latter is considerably the finest fruit, and greatly 
preferable for general culture. 
And if early melons are also required, there are several varieties 
of the fruit: the Cantaleupe is one of the best for its handsome 
growth, good size, and superior flavour; and is in much estimation. 
The true Cantaleu/ie or Armenian warted Melon, is very scarce in 
the United States; its fruit is large, roundish and deeply ribbed, a 
little compressed at both ends, the surface full of ivarted firotuberan- 
ces, like some species of squash, the flesh reddish, firm, and of a 
most delicious rich flavour; of which there are several varieties, dif- 
fering principally in colour, and commonly called black rock, gol- 
den rock, Sec. 
This variety of melon drives the term Cantaleupe, from a place 
of that name near Rome, where it was first cultivated in Europe — 
brought thence from Armenia, a country of Asia, in which is situat- 
ed the famous Mount Ararat. 
But it may also be proper to raise some of the others for variety; 
the Romana is a great bearer, comes early, but the fruit much smaller 
though well flavoured; the Polignac, Nutmeg and Minorca are also 
fine melons; but it may also be eligible to raise two, three, or more 
of the best approved different sorts. 
Observe, that in procuring these seeds for immediate sowing, both 
of cucumbers and melons, it is adviseable to have those of two, three 
or four years old, if possible, as the plants will generally show fruit 
sooner, as well as prove more fruitful than those of new seeds, which 
are apt to run vigorously to vine, often advancing in considerable 
length before they show a single fruit; but when seeds of this age 
cannot be procured, new seeds may be improved by carrying them 
a few weeks previous to sowing in your waistcoat or breeches 
pocket. 
In order to raise early cucumbers and melons, you must provide 
a quantity of fresh hot stable-dung, wherewith to make a small 
hot-bed for a seed-bed, in which to raise the plants to a proper 
growth for transplanting into larger hot-beds next month to remain 
to fruit; for this purpose a small bed for a one or two light frame 
may be sufficient, in which case two cart-load of hot dung will be 
enough for making a bed of proper dimensions for a one-light box, 
and so in proportion for a larger. 
Agreeably to these intimations, provide the requisite supply of 
good horse-stable-dung from the dunghills in stable-yards, &c. con- 
sisting of that formed of the moist stable litter and dunging of the 
horses together, choosing that which is moderately fresh, moist, and 
full of heat — always prefering that which is of some lively, warm, 
steamy quality; and of which take the long and short together as it 
