, MELON, Cueumis melo, a plant of the same genus with the cucumber (q.v.), much "cultivated for its fruit, which is sweet, with a delicious though peculiar firivor and smell. The melon is an annual, with trailing or climbine• stems, lateral tendrils, rounded angular leaves, small, y-ellow, moncecious flowers, and large round or somewhat ovate fruit. It is supposed to be a native of the sub-tropical parts of Asia, 'although it has never been discovered in a wild state, and it w-as first introduced into England front Jamaica about 1570. It is said to derive its name from the Grecian island Melos. Its English name was originally musk melon. The varieties in cultivation are very numer ous, some of them distinguished by a thick and warty rind, some by a rind cracked in a net-like manner, some by ribs and furrows, some by a perfectly- sniooth and thin rind; they differ also in the color of the flesh of the fruit, which is green, red, yellow, etc.; and in the size of the fruit, which varies from 3 or 4 in. to a foot or more in diameter. The melon is eaten either by itself or with sugar, and sometimes with pepper or giuger. ,The melon can be grown in the open air only in the most southern parts of Britain, and even there requires a hot-bed in spring. Its cultivation in liet-beds is extensively- carried on in all parts of Britain, and very great care is bestowed on it. A loamy soil is best suited to it. The setting of the fruit by dusting the female flower with the pollen of the male flower is constantly practiced by gardeners Warmth and bright sunshine are requisite to the production of fruit of good quality.—The WATER-MELON or CITRVI,
(eueunzis citrullus), although rarely- cultivated in Britain, is highly esteemed and much cultivated in almost all warm countries. It is a native of the warm parts of the old world. It has deeply lobed and gashed leaves, and a large round fruit with smooth dark-green spotted rind, and pink or white flesh; less sweet than the melon, but ruueh more juicy or watery, and therefore much prized in rnany warm countries, not merely as an article of food, but for quenching thirst and allaying fever.—South Africa has another species of water-melon (C. eaff'er), very valuable to the inhabitants.—The CRATE (C. chafe) is a native of Enpt and Arabia. Its taste is sweet, and as cool as the water-melon.—The KAUKOOR (C. Utiii8.47142/$) is a native of India, and much cultivated in some parts of that country; it has oval fruit, smooth, variegated with different shades of yellow, and about 6 in. long, with much the flavor of the melon. The fruit will keep for several months, and is much used both raw and in curries. The half-grown fruit is pickled. The seeds contain much farina and oil, and are ground into meal; the oil is also- expressed, and used both for food and in lamps. The seeds of others of this genus inay be used in the same way; and they are said to be useful as a diuretic medicine, and for relief of strangury.