686 
THE MELON. 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
The Melon. 
Cucumis Melo , L. Cucurbitacece , of botanists. 
Melon, of the French; Melona , German; Meleon , Dutch; Melone, Italian 
and Melon , Spanish. 
The Melon (or musk melon) is the richest and most luscious 
of all herbaceous fruits. The plant which bears this fruit is a 
trailing annual, supposed to be a native of Persia, but which has 
been so long in cultivation in all warm climates that it is quite 
doubtful which is its native country. 
The climate of the Middle and Southern States is remarkably 
favourable for it — indeed far more so than that of England, 
France, or any of the temperate portions of Europe. Conse- 
quently melons are raised as field crops by market gardeners, 
and in the month of August the finest citrons or green-fleshed 
melons may be seen in the markets of New York and Philadel- 
phia in immense quantities, so abundant in most seasons as fre- 
quently to be sold at half a dollar per basket, containing nearly 
a bushel of the fruit. The warm dry soils of Long Island and 
New Jersey, are peculiarly favourable to the growth of melons, 
and even at low prices the product is so large that this crop is 
one of the most profitable. 
Culture . — The culture of the melon is very easy in all, ex- 
cept the most northern portions of the United States. Early in 
May, a piece of rich, light soil is selected, well manured and 
thoroughly dug, or prepared by deep ploughing and harrowing. 
Hills are then marked out, six feet apart each way. These 
hills are prepared by digging a foot deep, and two feet across, 
which are filled half full of good, well-rotted manure. Upon 
the latter are thrown three or four inches of soil, and both ma- 
nure and soil are then well mixed together. More soil, well 
pulverized, is now thrown over the top, so as to complete the hill, 
making it three inches higher than the surface. Upon this, 
plant eight or ten grains of seed, covering them about half an 
inch deep. 
When the plants have made two rough leaves, thin them so 
as to leave but two or three to each hill. Draw the earth nicely 
around the base of the plants with the hoe. And to prevent 
the attack of the striped cucumber bug ( Galereuca vittata ), the 
great enemy of the melon and cucumber plants, sprinkle the 
soil just beneath the plants, as soon as they come up, with 
The pungent smell of this manure renders it an effectual protec- 
tion both against this insect and the cucumber flea beetle , a lit- 
