Where do melons and water melon come from?

Almost everybody loves some sort of melon, whether it be muskmelon, honeydew melon, or watermelon. And when something is so popular today, it is hard to believe that it has actually been known and enjoyed for thousands and thousands of years! The melon is a native of Asia, which means that it grows there without being planted by man. It is quite probable that many thousands of years ago the melon was introduced into other countries. The ancient Egyptians had the melon as one of their delicacies. The ancient Romans and probably the Greeks too enjoyed melons as much as we do! The first people to cultivate the melon in modern times were the French, and that was more than 300 years ago. All melons belong to the gourd family, which also includes cucumbers and pumpkins.