254. The seeds are sown at two or three different periods of the season ; the first sowing taking place early in Feb ruary, the next about the middle of March, and another later. They are sown in goad shallow pans, or in common flower-pots sunk to the brim in a small hot-bed, called the seed-bed, covered with a one-light frame. Here the tem perature is kept as near as possible to 65° ; a little air is given in the day time, but during night the frame is clos ed, and covered with single or double mats, according to the state of the weather. When the plants arc about an inch and a half high, they arc pricked into nursing pots, three in each, and placed generally in an intermediate frame of two lights, till they slimy one or two of their rough leaves, when they are ready for final transplanting.
255. The melon ground, or quarter in which the melon beds are formed, should have a dry bottom, a free exposure to the south, and be sheltered from the north and cast. It is desirable also to have it inclosed by a hedge of yew, beech, holly, or privet ; and it is an advantage to keep it under lock and key, no kind of plants being so apt to be disordered or injured by the curiosity of ignorant intruders. In many places, the melon ground is formed in the slip, or on the exterior of the garden ; and where this is the case, there is generally a cart access, which, considering the quantity of stable-dung required, proves very convenient.
256. The soil or compost for melons is prepared at least a year before it be used, and, like other composts, it is frequently turned over and thoroughly mixed. , Two-thirds of fresh hazel-coloured loam, from the surface of an old pasture, and one-third of rotten cow-dung, or of the re mains of old hot-beds, form an excellent soil. This com post is generally passed through a screen; but there is no need for its being made very fine.
257. The site of the hot-beds is scooped out to the depth of a foot, that the surface and lights may be kept low. The bed is generally made between three and four feet high, and the back four inches higher than the front. Stabje dung and litter are the usual ingredients of these as of other hot-beds ; but some use tanner's bark, in which case it is necessary to have a brick pit, or a strong wooden frame erected. The earth is not put on till the temperature be come steady and moderate, which it generally does in the space of a week. The beds arc covered with large frames, each having three sashes or lights. These are generally about four feet wide, and six feet in length ; hut sometimes they arc made eight feet in length, by three feet wide.
258. In some places, pits are built with brick in the fol lowing manner. After the size of the glass-covers is fixed upon, and supposing that a three-light pit is intended, the brick work is made 3 feet 6 inches deep on the fore-side, and 4 feet 6 inches or 5 feet on the back ; the bottom part all around, to the height of 2 feet 6 inches, is built with small openings, the more numerous the better : for this purpose no mortar is used in this part of the building ; but above it, mortar is used ; the walls are the thickness of brick on bed. If three such pits be required, they are
placed one in front of another, at the distance of three feet: the whole is surrounded with a wall, the top of which is six inches higher than the open building or the pits, and so far sunk as that the height may not appear offensive to the eye. The pit is filled with tanners' bark or tree-leaves to a little above the open building, and covered with earth as in the common way ; and the vacant space around the outside of the pit, to a little above the open building, is filled with stable dung, or with weeds, in the season when these are to be had ; for either of them, in fermenting, produces a sufficient degree of heat. When the heat of this lining is abated, and when a continuance of increased temperature is required, the exhausted matter is removed, and a new lining supplied. It may be proper to add, that the eave of each pit should have a small spout to carry off the water, otherwise the lower side of the bed is apt to be come too damp.• 259. In laying on the earth on the bed at first, a hillock or ridge is formed in the middle, somewhat more than a foot high, the covering in all other parts of the bed not ex ceeding two inches in thickness. In the beginning of March the young plants arc transferred thither with great care, the breaking of the fibres or bruising of the roots be ing very detrimental. Some are for transplanting as soon as may be, after the unfolding of the third leaf, or in ether words the first true or rough leaf ; but the more general plan is, to allow two or three of the rough leaves to spew themselves before transplanting. Others put the plants in separate flower-pots for a few weeks, and afterwards turn them out, with all the earth attached, into the melon frame. One plant to each light is generally sufficient, especially of the cantaleupe, or larger melons ; but most cultivators put two plants ; and some even crowd three under each light. When four leaves are expanded, the top is by many pinched off, in order to promote the setting out of lateral shoots or runners; but some allow the first shoots to ex tend the length of five or six joints before stopping them. Afterwards the points of these lateral shoots are pinched off, to encourage the putting forth of subordinate shoots, from which fruit is to be looked for. But all shoots that are either very luxuriant or very weak are equally useless, and may be removed. A few reed stalks are often spread thinly over the surface of the beds, for the shoots to run upOn.