^66 ''I be ordering of the Kjtchen ( jar den . 
good, that you may haucthefeedeof yourowne ripe Melons from them that haue 
eaten them, orfauefomeof the belt your felfe forthepurpofe. I fay while they laft 
good 5 for many are of opinion, that no fcedeof Muske Melons gathered in England, 
will endure good to forveagaine here aboue thethird yeare, but ftill they muft be re- 
newed from whence you had your choifcft before. Then hauing prepared a hot bed 
of dung in Aprill, fee your feedes therein to raife them vp, and coucr them, and order 
them with as great care or greater then Cowcumbers, &c. are vfed, that when they are 
ready , they may be rranl planted vpon the beds or balkes of that ground you had be- 
fore prepared for them, and fet them at the lead two yards in funder , euery one as it 
were in a hole, with a circle of dung about them , which vpon the fetting being wate- 
red with water that hath flood in the Sunne a day or two, and fo as often as neede is to 
water, couer them with ftrawe(fomcvfe great hollow glafles like vnto bell heads) or 
fome fuch other things, to defend them both from the cold euenings or dayes, and the 
heate of the Sunne, while they are y oungand new planted. There are fome that take 
vpon them great skill, that miflike of the railing vp of Melons, as they doe alfoof 
Cowcumbers, on a hot bed of horfe dung, butwillput twoorthree fecdcsinaplace 
in the very ground where they fball (land and growe , and thinkc without thatformer 
manner of forcing them forwards , that this their manner of planting will bring them 
on faft and fure enough, in that they will plucke away fome of the word and weakeft, 
tftoo many rife vp together in a place ; but let them know for ccrtainc,that howfoeuer 
for Cowcumbers their purpofe and order may doe reafonable well, where theground 
is rich and good, and where they llriue not to haue them fo early , as they that vfe the 
other way, for Muske Melons , which are a more tender fruit , requiring greater care 
and trouble in the nourfing, and greater and ftrongcr heate for the ripeniDg,they mull 
in our cold climate haue all the art vfed vnto them that may be, robringthem on the 
more early, and haue the more comfort of the Sunne to ripen them kindly, or elfe they 
will not bee worth the labour and ground. After you haue planted them as aforefaid, 
fome of good skill doe aduife, that you be carefull in any dry feafon, to giuc them wa- 
ter twice or thrice euery wceke while they arcy oung , but more afterward when they 
are tnoregrowne, and that in the morning efpecially,yca aad when the fruit is grownc 
fome what great, to water the fruit it felfe with a watering pet in the heate of the day, 
isoffogoodeffedl, thatit ripeneth them muchfaftcr, and will giuc them the better 
tafle and fmell,as they fay.T o take likewife the fruit, and gather it at the full time of his 
ripenelfe is no fmall art ; for if it be gathered before his due time to be prefently eaten, 
it willbehardand greene,and noteate kindly; and likewife if it be differed too long, 
the whole goodnelfe will be loft: You (hall therefore know, thatit is full time to ga- 
ther them to fpend prefently , when they begin to looke a little yellowilh on the out- 
fide,and doe Imcll full and ftrong ; but if you be to fend them farre off, or keepe them 
long vpon any occafion, you lhall then gather them fo much the earlier, that accor- 
ding to the time of the carriage and fpending, they may ripen in the lying, being kept 
dry , and couered with woollen clothes : When you cut one to eatc , you (hall know 
it to be ripe and good, if the feede and pulpc about them in the middle be very wate- 
ri(h,and will eafily be feparated from themearc , and likewife if the meate looke yel- 
low, and be mellow, and not hard or greene, and taftc full and pleafant, and not wate- 
rifli : The vfuall manner to eate them is with pepper and fait , being paredand diced, 
and to drowne them in wine, forfeate of doing more harme. Cowcumbers and Pom- 
pions,afcer they are nourfedvp inrhebedofhotdung,aretobefenerallytran(planted, 
each of them on a large plot of ground, a good diftance in funder : but the Pompions 
more.becaufe their branches take vp a great deale more ground, & befides,will require 
agreatdealemorewatering,becaufethe fruit is greater. Andthus haueyou the orde- 
ring of thofe fruits which are of much efteeme, efpecially the two former, with all the 
better fort ofperfons; and the third kinde is not wholly refufed, of any, althoughit 
ferueth moft vually for the mpaner and poorer fort of people , alter the firft early ripe 
are fpent. 
