C U C V 
thing to each glafs. Where there is but one bed, which 
is propofed to^be extended in length, the trench,fliould 
be dug out four feet and a half wide, and the length ac¬ 
cording to the number of glades, which fliould not be 
placed nearer than four feet; for, when the plants are 
too near each other, the vines will intermix, and fill the 
bed fo clofely as to prevent the fruit from fetting : in 
digging the trench, itflimildbe fo lituated as to allow for 
the widening of the bed three or four feet on each fide ; 
the de^th mud: be according as the foil is dry or we.t ; 
but, as was before obferved, if the foil is fo dry as that 
there is' no danger of the beds being hurt by the wet, 
the lower they are made in the ground the better : in 
themaking of the beds, the fame regard mud be had to the 
well mixing and laying of the dung, as was before direift- 
ed ; and, after the dung is laid, there (liould be a hill of 
earth railed, where eacli plant is to dand one toot and a 
half high ; the other part of the bed need not as yet be 
covered more than four inches thick, which will be fut- 
ficient to keep the warmth of the dung tro.ni evaporat¬ 
ing ; then the glaffes fliould be placed over the hills, 
and fet down clofe, in order to warm the earth of the 
bills to receive the plants ; and, if the beds work kindly, 
they will be in a proper temperature to receive the 
plants in two or three days after making ; then the 
plants thould be removed,in the fame manner as was before 
direfted ; and, if they are in ppts, fo that there will be 
no danger of their growing, there fliould but one plant 
be put under each glafs ; and, if they are not in pots, 
there fhould be two, one of which may be afterwards 
taken away, if they both grow. Thefe plants mud be 
watered at fird planting, to fettle the earth to their 
roots, and (haded every .day until they have taken new 
root ; and, if the nights prove cold, it will be proper to 
cover the glades with mats, to preferve the warmth of 
the bed. Where there are feveral of the beds intend¬ 
ed, they fliould be placed at eight feet didance from eacli 
other, that there may be a proper fpace left between 
them, to be afterward filled up, for the root of the 
vines to extend themfelves. 
When the plants have taken good root in the beds, 
their tops mud be pinched oft'; and their pruning, See. 
mud, from time to time, be the fame as for thofe under 
the frames. In the day-time, when the weather is 
warm, the glades fhould beraifed on the oppolite fide to 
the wind, to admit fredi air to the plants ; where this 
is not obferved, they will draw up weak and fickly. 
When the plants are grown fo long as to reach the Tides 
of the glades, if the weather proves favourable, the 
glades mud be fet on three bricks, fo as to raife them 
about two inches from the furface of the beds, to give 
room for the vines to run out from under them ; but 
when this is done, the beds fhould be covered all over 
with earth, to the depth of one foot and a half, and trod 
down as clofe as podible ; and, if the nights fhould 
prove cold, there fhould be a covering of mats put over 
■ the beds, to prevent the cold from injuring the tender 
flioots of the vines ; but, as the vines of the cantaleitpe 
melons are impatient of wet, it will be necedary to arch 
the beds over with hoops to fupport the mats, that they 
may be ready for covering at all times when they require 
it, which is the only fure method to have thefe melons 
fucceed in England, where the weather is fo very uncer¬ 
tain and variable. 
After the thicknefs of earth is laid upon the beds, if 
the weather dtould prove cold, it will be advifable to 
dig trenches on each fide .of the beds, into which you 
iliould lay a fufficient quantity of hot dung, to make it 
of the fame thicknefs with the bed, after the manner be¬ 
fore direfted for the frames ; or, if there is a fufficient 
quantity of hot dung ready, the whole fpace between 
the beds may be'dug out, and filled up with the dung, 
laying thereon the earth a foot and a half deep, treading 
it down clofe ; this new dung will add a frelh warmth to 
the beds, and caufe the plants to fhevv fruit Toon after. 
M I S. 447 
The watering of thefe plants muff be done with great 
caution, and net given to their ftems ; the pinching off 
the runners mud alfo be duly attended to, as alfo the 
pulling off all fuperfluous fruit, to encourage thofe 
which are defigned to remain ; and, in fhort, everything 
before directed for thofe under frames, tnufl likewife be 
obferved for thefe ; and the farther care is to cover them 
in all hard rains, and cold nights, with mats, which, if 
performed with care, there will be little danger of their 
mifearrying, and thefe vines will remain vigorous until 
the cold in autumn deftroys them. 
Raifng under paper Frames. Many perfons, of late years, 
have railed their melons under oiled paper, and, in fome 
places, they have fucceeded well ; but, where this is 
praftifed, great care mull be taken not to keep thefe co¬ 
verings too clofe - over them ; for, where that is done, 
the vines will draw very weak, and rarely fet their fruit 
iirany plenty ; therefore, w-here thefe coverings are pro¬ 
pofed to be ufed, we fhould advife the bringing up of 
the plants under hand or bell glaffes, in the manner be¬ 
fore directed, until they are grown far enough to be let 
out from under the glaffes, and then, inftead of the co¬ 
vering with mats, to put over the oiled paper; and, 
this covering, prudently managed, will be the belt that 
can be’ufed. The belt fort of paper for this purpofe is 
that which is ftrong, and not of too dark a colour; and 
it fhould be done over with linfeed oil, which will dry 
foon. There fliould be a proportionable number of 
fheets of this paper parted together, as will fpread to 
the dimenfions of the frame to which it is fattened ; and, 
if this is fixed to the frame before the oil is rubbed over 
it, fo much the better; but this fliould be’done fo long 
before they are ufed, as that the oil may be thoroughly 
dry, and the ftench gone oft', otherwiie it will deliroy 
the plants. Some perfons make thefe frames of broad 
hoops, in imitation of the covers of waggons ; but, as 
thefe are cumberfome to move, and there are no conve¬ 
niences for admitting air to the plants but by raifing the 
whole frame on one fide, we fliould prefer thofe made of 
pantile laths, framed like the ridge of houfe ; and each 
flope, having hinges, maybe railed at pleafure to admit 
the air to the plants. 
Management after the Fruit is fet. The farther manage¬ 
ment of the melons, after their fruit is fet, is to keep 
pulling off all the fuperfluous fruit, and to pinch off 
all weak runners, which may draw away nourifhment 
from the fruit ; as alfo to turn the fruit gently twice a- 
week, that each fide may have equal benefit of the fun 
and air ; for, when fuffered to lie with the lame fide 
conftantly to the,ground, that fide will become of a pale 
or whitifh colour. The plants will require a little water 
in very dry weather, but this fliould be given them in the 
alleys, at a difiance from the fiems of the plants, and 
not oftener than once in a week or ten days, at which 
time the ground fliould be well foaked in the alleys. 
This will encourage the growtfh of the fruit, and caufe 
the flefh to be thick ; but the great caution which is 
neceflary to be obferved, is not to over-water the plants, 
which is certain injury to them ; alfo, be fure to give as 
much free air as portable, at all times, when the wea¬ 
ther will permit, for this isabfolutely necedary to render 
the fruit good- 
When the fruit are fully grown, they mu ft be duly 
watched to cut them at a proper time ; for, if they are 
left only a few hours too long upon the vines, they will 
lofe much of their delicacy ; therefore they fliould be 
looked over at leaft twice every day ; and, if thofe fruit 
which are intended for the table are cut early in the morn¬ 
ing, before the fun has warmed them, they will be much 
better flavoured ; but, if any fliould require to be cut 
afterwards, they fliould be put into cold fpring-water 
or ice, to cool them, before they are brought to the 
table ; and thofe cut in the morning fliould be kept in 
the coolefi place till they are lerved up to table. The 
fign of this fruit’s maturity is, that of its beginning to 
crack 
