j&griculture is the most healthy , the most useful , and the most noble employment of man . —Washington. 
VOL. Vli. 
NEW YORK, MARCH} 1848. NO. III. 
A. B. Allen, Editor. 
C. M. Saxton, Publisher, 205 Broadway. 
CULTIVATION OF MELONS. 
There are many varieties of the melon (Cucumis 
melo) y of which the best may be considered as 
“ Skillman’s Netted,” the “ Green-fleshed Citron,” 
the “ Green-fleshed Nutmeg,” the “Large Yellow 
Cantaloup,” the “ Green-fleshed Persian,” the' 
“Musk-scented,” and the Pineapple.” Of these, 
the first three are generally cultivated throughout 
the United States, and abound in our markets for at 
least three months in the year. It is already known 
to many of our readers that this city is greatly in¬ 
debted for this luxury to several families by the 
name of Bergen, who annually cultivate some hun¬ 
dred acres, near Gowanus, Long island, and at 
Shrewsbury, New Jersey. Although not a sure 
crop, we have been informed that an acre of their 
land, well tilled, will yield from $ 100 to $400 worth 
of melons in a season. 
The soil best suited for the melon, in open cul¬ 
ture, is a light, sandy loam, similar to that of the 
southerly end of Long Island and the adjacent 
shores of New Jersey. The ground should be 
plowed or spaded, from 12 to 18 inches deep, and 
well pulverized with a harrow or rake. The 
proper season for sowing is at the time the peach 
tree is in bloom ; for, if planted earlier, there would 
be fear of their being cut ofi’by frosts. The seeds 
may be sown in broad hills, 18 inches in diameter, 
and 5 feet apart from centre to centre, each supplied 
with a shovelful of well-rotted stable, or barn-yard 
manure. In order to guard against accidents, at 
least 20 seeds should be scattered in a hill, which 
should be covered with finely-pulverized earth at 
about the same depth as in planting Indian corn. 
Soon after the plants are up, and begin to show 
their second leaves, they may be weeded with a 
hoe, and a portion of them thinned out, still leav¬ 
ing enough to guard against accidents or the 
depredation of worms. In the course of the 
summer, before the vines begin to spread, two fur¬ 
rows should be run between the rows, with a cul¬ 
tivator or plow, turning the earth directly from 
the plants, which should again be freed of weeds, 
and reduced in number to five or six in each hill. 
A few weeks later, a second plowing should take 
place, turning the earth towards the vines, when a 
broad, flat hill should be formed, slightly hollowing 
in the middle, so as to receive and retain the water 
supplied by irrigation or from the fall of rains. 
After this, no further attention will be required, ex¬ 
cept in keeping down the weeds, and in guarding 
against worms. 
NOTES ON LONG ISLAND.—No. 2. 
We shall not soon forget the sultry day we made 
an excursion from Oyster Bay to Glen Cove. Ac¬ 
companied by Mr. D. K. Youngs, and Mr. Wm. 
S. McCoun, each of whom contributed a fast-trot¬ 
ting nag, to make up the carriage pair, we drove 
along the fine gravel roads of this part of the island, 
at a pace fast enough to gratify the most impatient 
of locomotives. What most interested us in this 
day’s excursion, was a visit at Dosoris, the resi¬ 
dence of the late General Nathaniel Coles, the 
breeder of American Eclipse. The stall where this 
famous race horse first saw the light, is one of a 
row in quite an ordinary stable, on West Island, 
which is a part of the farm. It is a pretty spot, 
indeed ; washed by the sound, shaded by scattering 
trees, and abounding with excellent pasturage. 
The soil is a compact, gravelly loam. It is just the 
place for a wild colt to play his pranks : and after 
witnessing these for a season, General Coles made 
up his mind that he had at last got a trump, and 
hence his name, after one of the most famous horses 
that England ever produced. 
Eclipse was by Duroc, out of Miller’s Damsel, 
and was foaled, May 25th, 1814. No horse in 
