JULY. 
209 
The coverings are usually fastened down about sun-set, and I 
invariably visit the frames between seven and eight o’clock, by which 
time the heat within them will have somewhat increased. If I find 
the heat too high, I admit air in proportion to its strength, and between 
nine and ten o’clock I arrange the lights finally for the night, leaving 
them more or less open, as may be necessary, for the due regulation of 
the heat; I consider 80 degrees about the proper temperature to be 
preserved, as nearly as possible, in the early part of the night. 
The frames are uncovered in the morning as soon as it is light, if 
the weather is not very severe; but if there is sharp frost, the covering 
ought to remain on a little later. I like to find the heat in the 
morning, within the frame, three or four degrees above eighty; I have 
known it in very hard weather as low as 68, but it very seldom 
happens that it is so much reduced. 
At nine or ten o’clock in the morning I water the tops of the flues 
within the frames with a rose water pot; this produces a steam which 
is very beneficial to the plants. After the watering, the lights are shut 
down for about half an hour, and when the heat has risen to above 83 
degrees, I gave air, increasing or diminishing its admission according 
to the changes of the weather during the day. The heat of the frames 
ought not to exceed 85 degrees, nor be lower than 70 degrees. I have 
found by experience that to bring early Melons to perfection a higher 
temperature is required than what is necessary for early Cucumbers. 
When the flues are watered in the morning, no water is at that time 
given to the plants ; but once or twice a week, or oftener,*if necessary, 
during February, bottom waterings are given to the hills in the course 
of the day, but the leaves of the plants are not then wetted. As the 
power of the sun increases, after the end of February, the waterings 
are gradually increased ; and I also then give water about twice a 
week, tolerably freely all over the leaves, with a rose; this is usually 
done on fine bright mornings. 
The Melon plants, after being ridged out, soon make runners; these 
I stop at the third or fourth joint, which causes them to throw out 
fresh ones, which are usually more productive of fertile flowers, and on 
them I set my first crop of fruit. I am careful to keep the plants 
regularly thinned from weak and barren shoots, and from the oldest 
leaves, when they are too thick. 
During the whole period of forcing, the heat under the frames is 
well kept up by occasional renewals of the linings. 
About the middle of March, but sometimes not till the end of the 
month, the first fruits which have set are become nearly as large as 
pullet’s eggs ; these I reduced to nine in each frame, that is, three to 
a light, and one only to each plant. After this, as the fruit will swell 
rapidly, fresh compost, if necessary, should be added, and attention be 
paid to thinning the barren runners and old leaves of the plants, as 
before directed. When the Melons have arrived at their full size, I 
leave off watering altogether, except that I give a little round the edge 
of the bed under the frame, to keep alive the roots that run on top of 
the flue. 
I generally have two or three crops from the same plants. The 
VOL. XI., NO. CXXVII. p 
