262. A late crop of melons from seed is oftenTroduced in a fitted pit. The seeds front this crop arc sown in the beginning of July, and the seedlings are planted out to wards the end of the month. Tannet's bark, or tree leaves, afford sufficient warmth at this season : indeed, the re mains of the bed of bark or leaves on which early kitchen vegetables, or tender annual flowers, have been raised in the beginning of summer, a little aided by fresh materials, answer all the purposes. No fire-heat is required till Sep tember. In the end of October the melons are ready : they are not equal in flavour, certainly, to those ripened under the brighter and more powerful sun of June and Ju ly; but are very acceptable at that season of the year,— the more so, that, owing to the caprices of fashion, those in high life chiefly spend the later months of autumn and the beginning of winter in the country, while they waste the summer amidst the smoke of London. The melons which do not ripen are sometimes pickled like mangoes, and are said to make a very good substitute for these.
263. In the first volume of the London Horticultural Transactions, Mr Knight has given a general account of his highly interesting views on the subject of vegetable physiology, and has illustrated this account, by alluding to the habits of the melon, and the mode of culture best adapt ed to it. This gentleman's gardener, it appears, had not been previously acquainted with the proper management of the melon, and Mr Knight therefore particularly attend ed to it himself. Experience soon taught him, (what was previously in some measure known,) that much of the fla vour of the fruit depends on the plant possessing efficient foliage, that is, healthy leaves, presenting their upper sur face to the light, and remaining as much as possible undis turbed in that position. Free use of pegs is therefore to be made, not only with the view of keeping the shoots in their position, but of preserving the leaves upright ; and water is to be introduced without touching the leaves, as already recommended.
Cucumber.
264. The cucumber naturally follows the melon, being not only a species of the same genus, (Cucumis sativue, L.) but requiring pretty much the same sort of culture, only the fruit is produced perfectly well in a lower tem perature. It is a tender annual, a native of warm cli mates. It was early known in this country, but did not come into general cultivation till the middle of the 17th century.
265. The varieties most in esteem are the following : Early long prickly, (green.) Cluster cucumber.
Longest green prickly. Smooth green Roman.
Early short prickly, (green.) White Turkey cucumber.
Dutch or white short prickly.
The fruit of the Early long prickly is from 5 to 7 inches long, of a green colour, with few prickles. The plant is a good bearer ; and, upon the whole, this is accounted the best cucumber for the general summer crop, the pulp be ing very crisp and pleasant.
The fruit of the Longest green prickly is from 7 to 10 inches in length; it has a dark green skin, closely set with small prickles. This is a hardy sort, but does not come early.
The Early short prickly is not more than 4 inches long; the skin green, rather smooth, but with a few small black prickles. This is one of the hardiest and earliest sorts, and is often preferred for the first crop.
The Dutch or white short prickly, though not much cul tivated, is recommended by a very competent judge, the Rev. Mr Marshall, as preferable even to the early long prickly ; it has fewer seeds ; is evidently different in taste from most other cucumbers, but of agreeable flavour.
The Cluster eucumber is a Very early sort, named from the circumstance of the flowers appearing in clusters of three or four together ; the fruit is seldom more than 5 inches long ; it is at first of a fine green colour, but be comes yellowish as it ripens. The stems of this variety are much inclined to climb, by means of their tendrils, upon sticks ; the leaves are small, and the plant altogether occupies but little room.
The Smooth green Roman is also an early sort ; the fruit becomes large and long, and is quite smooth ; the plants grow very strong, and require a good deal of room.
In the White Turkey, the stalks and leaves are larger than in the other varieties ; the fruit also is very long, sometimes from 10 to 15 or even 20 inches ; it is quite straight, and has a smooth skin, destitute of prickles; it is produced sparingly, and late in the season. There is like wise a long green Turkey variety, which is sometimes sown for the late crop. Late cucumbers, however, are much less cultivated than the early varieties ; most gardeners being of opinion, that those kinds which are best for the early crops are also best for the late.
266. Three crops of cucumbers are generally raised in the year. The earliest arc of necessity produced on hot beds, or in Hued pits. Pickling cucumbers are generally raised either on a slight hot-bed or under a hand-glass, and planted in the open air in June. When they have thrown out a few joints, they are topped, in order to encourage la teral or fruit branches ; and these are trained on the ground at eight or nine inches apart, and generally kept down by pegs. In some places, the seed is at once sown in drills in the open air ; the fruit being produced in August and Sep tember, and well adapted for pickling. But drilled cucum bers succeed only in the southern parts of England ; in the northern half of the island they will not do. The prickly sorts are chiefly used in the recent state ; and the smooth green is much liked for preserving.