, apply water to it, that it may be properly
moistened; and after the bed is formed, let it be again watered, as the
plants will not thrive so well, nor the linings have the proper effect,
if the bed is kept too dry.

The bed should be made three weeks or a month before the plants are put
into it, and must be perfectly sweet before they are ridged out. When
the bed is in a proper condition, hollow it out in the middle to the
depth of four inches, and put a large barrow-fall of mould to each hill,
pressing it down close with the hand about a foot deep.

The day before you intend to ridge out, put a pot of plants in the bed,
to prove whether it is sweet, which, if you ascertain to be the case,
and the box is large, ridge them out, three plants to a light; but if
small two will be sufficient.

The proper time to sow the seed for an early crop is about the middle of
January; and the early cucumber bed will do very well for the purpose.
Those sown at this time will be fit to cut in the first or second week
of May; but if there is no particular necessity for fruit so early, the
beginning of February is a preferable season to sow, when they will be
ready to cut by the latter end of May or the beginning of June.

The Early Cantaloupe is the best sort for an early crop. Let them be
sown in leaf mould, about eighteen or twenty seeds in a forty-eight size
pot; immediately apply water, and plunge the pots in a good sharp heat.
As soon as the seed makes its appearance, which will be in the course of
about three days, if it is good, un-plunge the pots and give them a
little water. In two or three days more they will be fit to pot off,
which ought always to be done when about a week old, as they strike much
more freely when potted off young. Let the soil for potting off the
plants be half leaf mould, and half light loam or bog earth.

The best season to sow for a second crop is the beginning of March, and
well calculated for the Stroud Rock, Scarlet Rock, White-seeded Rock,
Green Flesh, and, in fact, many others of nearly the same description,
though under different names, which they have derived from those
gardeners who have cultivated them by impregnating one with the other.
It is by no means, however, advisable to sow the Black Rock before the
latter end of March, as it is only calculated for a late melon, and
should be grown in large boxes, two plants to a light. This, though a
fine looking fruit, and well flavoured, will not