THE PERSIAN MELON. 
773 
doing your readers some service by soliciting their attention to the 
character of the family to which it belongs; and here I take the li¬ 
berty of suggesting, that much important information would be af¬ 
forded, were writers upon Horticultural subjects, to seize every fa¬ 
vourable opportunity of com eying elementary instruction, concern¬ 
ing the botanical character and natural habits of the plants upon 
which they write. Our knowledge, or rather conduct, has heretofore 
been too empirical; we have taken things for granted, merely be¬ 
cause our own practice, or that of our predecessors has been produc¬ 
tive of certain specific results. But in the present day, when science 
is spreading in every direction, and men of all ranks are seeking for 
a knowledge of causes, while they observe effects, it becomes us not 
to rest satisfied, until we can trace every subject (that is deemed 
worthy of enquiry at all) to its fountain head. 
In order to set an example of that mode of conveying instruction, 
which I recommend to the consideration of others, I shall commence 
this article by an inquiry into the origin and meaning of the botani¬ 
cal name, bestowed upon this family of plants: in the next place, I 
shall add a slight sketch of the character of the Genus, and of the 
species to which the individual variety belongs. This will lead me 
to notice very particularly, the natural habits of the interesting tribe, 
lately introduced from Persia, among which the Housainee melon 
stands very conspicuous, if not pre-eminent. A second Paper will 
contain a detail of an experiment, wherein many of the facts adduced 
in this first paper will be elucidated and confirmed. 
The Melon, according to Loudon’s Encyclopaedia, No. 4869, has 
been known in England, since the year 1570, and it appears to have 
been originally brought from Jamaica. The varieties in common 
cultivation formerly known by the title of Musk Melons, have usu¬ 
ally been considered natives of Southern Europe : they are numer¬ 
ous, and Loudon’s Catalogue mentions and describes nineteen; but 
the sub-varieties and intermixtures from crossings, are almost unli¬ 
mited. In fact, there is reason to believe, that if melons of several 
varieties be grown in one department, not only will the seeds of each 
fruit be more or less contaminated, but those taken from the same 
individual melon will be found to produce plants, whose fruit may 
differ very considerably in appearance and character. 
The Melon is a species of the genus or family Cucumis, or Cu¬ 
cumber. This term is derived from Ksavgott kekumai. it indicates 
a swelling or tumidity, and to no fruit can it be more appropriate, 
than to the cucumber and melon. The name Melon (Melo, latin) 
is derived from the greck noun MriAov Melon, whence Maloti, (and 
