MELON. 
67 
which consists in placing the neck of the plant between the first and second 
finger of the left hand, reversing the pot, and gently striking its sides till the 
earth be disengaged. The discharged mass is then placed in a hole, previ 
ously prepared in the square, where it is intended the plant shall ripen and 
produce.” 
Cutting the fruit. —Nicol observes, that u Melons, if allowed to remain on 
the plant till they be of a deep yellow color, lose much of their flavor. 
They should, therefore, be cut as soon as they begin to change to a greenish- 
yellow, or, rather, as soon as they begin to smell ripe. They may lie in a 
frame for a day or two, if not immediately wanted, where they will acquire 
sufficient color. But if they are let remain many days in the frame, they 
will become as insipid as if they had been left too long on the plant.” 
Saving seed. —The ordinary mode is to request the seeds of particularly fine 
fruits of approved sorts to be returned from table. The best way, however, 
is to pick some best ripe fruit, take out the seed, clean it from the pulp, and 
let it be well dried and hardened; and then put it up in papers.— Abercrom¬ 
bie. Nicol says, wash it very clean, skimming off the light seeds, as those 
only which sink in water will grow. Great care must be taken that the 
sorts from which seeds are saved are genuine and distinct. When different 
sorts are planted in the same bed, this cannot be the case. 
Second crop from the same plants. — u When the fruit of the first crop is off, 
a second crop may be obtained from the same stools, which often proves 
more productive than the first. If the first crop is taken before the middle 
of June, the second will come at a very good time. For this purpose, as 
soon as the fruit is cut, prune the plant. Shorten the vigorous, healthy run¬ 
ners, at a promising joint, to force out new r laterals, cutting about tw r o inches 
above the joint. At the same time., take off all decayed or sickly vines, and all 
dead leaves. Stir the surface of the mould, and renew it partially by three 
inches depth of fresh compost. Water the plants copiously, shutting dowm 
the glasses for the night. Shade in the middle of hot days; and give but 
little air, until the plant has made new radicles and shoots. Afterwards re¬ 
peat the course of culture above described, from the stage when the first run¬ 
ners are sent out till fruit is cut.”— Loudon 
Insects and diseases. —To prevent melon-plants from being infested w ? ith 
insects, or injured by diseases of any kind, no better method can be adopted 
than to keep the plants constantly in a healthy, vigorous, growing state ; for 
this purpose, M‘Phail observes, “ They must be constantly attended to, giv¬ 
ing them plenty of heat and water. In warm weather, in the spring and in 
summer, they should be watered occasionally all over their fruit and leaves, 
till the earth in which they grow be thoroughly moistened.” In this coun¬ 
try, melons and cucumbers are much infested by a small yellow bug, and 
perhaps the best method, of securing them is covering the plants with a frame. 
