124 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND 
beyond them, the mellons will grow exceeding great.” He 
also gives a direction learned from “ Mr. Nicholson Gardiner.” 
“ Lay your young Mellons upon Ridge-tiles to keep them from 
the ground, and for reflection,” and he suggests that the seed 
should be steeped in milk for twenty-four hours before sowing. 
Parkinson says the best seed came from Spain, and not from 
France, but some seed was saved in England. Gerard saw 
some good melons at the “ Queene’s House at St. James,” 
grown by Master Fowle, and also “ great plenty ” at Lord 
Sussex’s at “ Bermondsey by London.” It was usual to eat 
them with pepper and salt, and “ to droun them in wine for 
feare of doing more harme.” 1 These " musk-melons ” are 
Cucumis melo, the same as are now termed melons, and they 
were “ of a russet colour and green underneath . . . deep- 
furrowed and ribbed . . . the inward substance is yellow, which 
only is eaten. 2 “ Melons or pompions,” include pumpkins and 
gourds of all kinds. These were eaten especially by the poorer 
classes, cooked in various ways. Parkinson says they eat as 
“ a dainty dish ” pompions, the seeds taken out and filled with 
pippins, and baked altogether. 
Vegetables then did not have at all the same relative value as 
nowadays ; some which are now scarcely grown, such as skirrets, 
holding a prominent place, while others were not so much 
valued. The heading of a chapter in Hill’s Gardener’s Laby¬ 
rinth will illustrate this fact. “ What care and skill is required 
in the sowing and ordering of the Buckshorne, Strawberrie 
and Mustarde Seede.” Buckshorne is Plantago coronoftus, and 
was largely used in salads, “ especially in sallets in the sommer 
time, although the same have no apt succour nor taste.” 
The strawberry, Hill continues, “ requires small labour, but 
by diligence of the Gardener, becommeth so great, that the 
same yeeldeth faire and big Beries as the Beries of the Bramble 
in the hedge. . . . The Berries in sommer time, eaten with 
creame and sugar, is accounted a great refreshing to men, but 
more commended, being eaten with wine and sugar.” Mustard 
was grown only for the seeds, not for the use of the seedlings 
in salad. The seed pounded with vinegar was eaten “ with 
any grosse meates, either fish or flesh.” 3 Hill gives a long 
1 Parkinson. 2 Ibid . 3 Gerard. 
