CUCURBITACEOUS PLANTS.
The Cucumber. Egyptian Cucumber. Globe Cucumber. Gourd, or Calabash. The
Melon. Musk-melon. Persian Melons. Water-melon. Papanjay, or Sponge
Cucumber. Prickly-fruited Gherkin. Pumpkin. Snake Cucumber. Squash.
* * * * *
THE CUCUMBER.
Cucumis sativus.
The Cucumber is a tender, annual plant; and is a native of the East
Indies, or of tropical origin. It has an angular, creeping stem; large,
somewhat heart-shaped, leaves; and axillary staminate or pistillate
flowers. The fruit is cylindrical, generally elongated, often somewhat
angular, smooth, or with scattering black or white spines; the flesh is
white or greenish-white, and is divided at the centre of the fruit into
three parts, in each of which the seeds are produced in great abundance.
These seeds are of an elliptical or oval form, much flattened, and of a
pale yellowish-white color. About twelve hundred are contained in an
ounce; and they retain their vitality ten years.
_Soil and Culture._--Very dry and very wet soils should be avoided.
Cucumbers succeed decidedly best in warm, moist, rich, loamy ground. The
essentials to their growth are heat, and a fair proportion of moisture.
They should not be planted or set in the open air until there is a
prospect of continued warm and pleasant weather; as, when planted early,
not only are the seeds liable to decay in the ground, but the young
plants are frequently cut off by frost.
The hills should be five or six feet apart in each direction. Make them
fifteen or eighteen inches in diameter, and a foot in depth; fill them
three-fourths full of thoroughly digested compost, and then draw four or
five inches of earth over the whole, raising the hill a little above the
level of the ground; plant fifteen or twenty seeds in each, cover half
an inch deep, and press the earth smoothly over with the back of the
hoe. When all danger from bugs and worms is past, thin out the plants;
leaving but three or four of the strongest or healthiest to a hill.
_Taking the Crop._--As fast as the cucumbers attain a suitable size,
they should be plucked, whether required for use or not. The imperfectly
formed, as well as the symmetrical, should all be removed. Fruit,
however inferior, left to ripen on the vines, soon destroys their
productiveness.
_Seed._--"Cucumbers, from their natural proneness to impregnate each
other when, grown together, are exceedingly difficult to keep true to
their original points of merit;" and consequently, to retain any variety
in its purity, it must be grown apart from all other sorts. When a few
seeds are desired for the vegetable garden, two or three of the
finest-formed cucumbers should be selected early in the season, and
allowed to ripen on the plants. In September, or when fully ripe, cut
them open, take out the seeds, and allow them to stand a day or two, or
until the pulp attached to them begins to separate; when they should be
washed clean, thoroughly dried, and packed away for future use.
_For Pickling._--The land for raising cucumbers for pickling may be
either swarded or stubble; but it must be in good condition, and such as
is not easily affected by drought. It should be deeply ploughed, and the
surface afterwards made fine and friable by being thoroughly harrowed.
The hills should be six feet apart, and are generally formed by
furrowing the land at this distance in each direction. Manure the hills
with well-digested compost, level off, draw over a little fine earth,
and the land is ready for planting.
This may be done at any time from the middle of June to the first week
in July. The quantity of seed allowed to an acre varies from
three-fourths of a pound, upwards. In most cases, growers seed very
liberally, to provide against the depredation of worms and bugs; usually
putting six or eight times as many seeds in a hill as will be really
required for the crop. When the plants are well established and beyond
danger, the field is examined, and the hills thinned to three or four
plants; or, where there is a deficiency of plants, replanted.
As fast as the cucumbers attain the proper size, they should be plucked;
the usual practice being to go over the plantation daily. In gathering,
all the fruit should be removed,--the misshapen and unmarketable, as
well as those which are well formed; for, when any portion of the crop
is allowed to remain and ripen, the plants become much less productive.
In favorable seasons, and under a high state of cultivation, a hundred
and twenty-five thousand are obtained from an acre; while, under
opposite conditions, the crop may not exceed fifty thousand. The average
price is about a dollar and twenty-five cents per thousand.
_Varieties._--
EARLY CLUSTER.
Early Green Cluster.
A very popular, early cucumber, producing its fruit in clusters near the
root of the plant: whence the name. The plant is healthy, hardy, and
vigorous; fruit comparatively short and thick. Its usual length is about
five inches, and its diameter about two inches; skin prickly, green,--at
the blossom-end, often paler, or nearly white,--brownish-yellow when
ripe; flesh white, seedy, tender, and well flavored, but less crispy or
brittle than that of many other varieties.
It is a good early garden sort, and is very productive; but is not well
adapted for pickling, on account of the soft and seedy character of its
flesh.
EARLY FRAME.
Short Green.
One of the oldest of the garden sorts, justly styled a standard variety.
Plant healthy and vigorous, six to ten feet in length; fruit straight
and well formed, five inches and a half long, and two inches and a half
in diameter; skin deep-green, paler at the blossom-end, changing to
clear yellow as it approaches maturity, and, when fully ripe, of a
yellowish, russet-brown color; flesh greenish-white, rather seedy, but
tender, and of an agreeable flavor. It is a few days later than the
Early Cluster.
The variety is universally popular, and is found in almost every
vegetable garden. It is also very productive; succeeds well, whether
grown in open culture or under glass; and, if plucked while young and
small, makes an excellent pickle.
EARLY RUSSIAN.
This comparatively new variety resembles, in some respects, the Early
Cluster. Fruit from three to four inches in length, an inch and a half
or two inches in diameter, and generally produced in pairs; flesh
tender, crisp, and well flavored. When ripe, the fruit is deep-yellow or
yellowish-brown.
Its merits are its hardiness, extreme earliness, and great
productiveness. It comes into use nearly ten days in advance of the
Early Cluster, and is the earliest garden variety now cultivated. Its
small size is, however, considered an objection; and some of the larger
kinds are generally preferred for the main crop.
LONDON LONG GREEN. _M'Int._
Fruit about a foot in length, tapering towards the extremities; skin
very deep-green while the fruit is young, yellow when it is ripe; flesh
greenish-white, firm, and crisp; flavor good.
This variety is nearly related to the numerous prize sorts which in
England are cultivated under glass, and forced during the winter. There
is little permanency in the slight variations of character by which they
are distinguished; and old varieties are constantly being dropped from
the catalogues, and others, with different names, substituted. Amongst
the most prominent of these sub-varieties are the following:--
_Carter's Superior._--Recently introduced. Represented as one of the
largest and finest of the forcing varieties.
_Conqueror of the West._--Eighteen to twenty inches in length. It is a
fine prize sort, and succeeds well in open culture.
_Cuthill's Black Spine._--Six to nine inches in length, hardy, early,
and productive. An excellent sort for starting in a hot-bed. Fruit very
firm and attractive.
_The Doctor._--Sixteen to eighteen inches in length, and contracted
towards the stem in the form of a neck. In favorable seasons, it will
attain a good size, if grown in the open ground. Crisp, tender, and well
flavored.
_Eggleston's Conqueror._--"Very prolific, good for forcing, of fine
flavor, hardy, and a really useful sort. Specimens have been grown
measuring twenty-eight inches in length, nine inches and a half in
circumference, and weighing five pounds."
_Flanigan's Prize._--An old, established variety; having been grown in
England upwards of thirty years. Length fifteen inches.
_Hunter's Prolific._--Length eighteen inches. Very crisp and excellent,
but requires more heat than most other varieties. Spines white; fruit
covered with a good bloom, and not liable to turn yellow at the base.
_Improved Sion House._--This variety has received many prizes in
England. Not only is it well adapted for the summer crop, but it
succeeds remarkably well when grown under glass.
_Irishman._--Length twenty-two to twenty-five inches. Handsome, and
excellent for exhibition.
_Lord Kenyon's Favorite._--Length twelve to eighteen inches. A fine sort
for winter forcing.
_Manchester Prize._--This, like the Nepal, is one of the largest of the
English greenhouse prize varieties. It sometimes measures two feet in
length, and weighs twelve pounds. In favorable seasons, it will attain a
large size in open culture, and sometimes perfect its seed.
_Nepal._--One of the largest of all varieties; length about twenty-four
inches; weight ten to twelve pounds.
_Norman's Stitchworth-Park Hero._--A recently introduced variety, hardy,
long, handsome, very prolific, and fine flavored.
_Old Sion House._--Length about nine inches. This is a well-tried,
winter, forcing variety. Like the Improved Sion House, it also succeeds
well in open culture. Quality good, though the extremities are sometimes
bitter.
_Prize-fighter._--Length about sixteen inches. Good for the summer crop
or for exhibition.
_Rifleman._--This variety is described as one of the best prize
cucumbers. It has a black spine; always grows very even from stem to
point, with scarcely any handle; carries its bloom well; keeps a good
fresh color; and is not liable to turn yellow as many other sorts.
Length twenty-four to twenty-eight inches. An abundant bearer.
_Ringleader._--A prominent prize sort, about fifteen inches in length.
It succeeds well, whether grown under glass or in the open ground.
_Roman Emperor._--Length twelve to fifteen inches.
_Southgate._--This variety has been pronounced the most productive, and
the best for forcing, of all the prize sorts. It is not so late as many
of the English varieties, and will frequently succeed well if grown in
the open ground.
_Victory of Bath._--Length about seventeen inches. Well adapted for
forcing or for the general crop.
LONG GREEN PRICKLY.
Long Prickly. Early Long Green Prickly.
This is a large-sized variety, and somewhat later than the White-spined.
The plant is a strong grower, and the foliage of a deep-green color; the
fruit is about seven inches in length, straight, and generally angular;
skin dark-green, changing to yellow as the fruit approaches
maturity,--when fully ripe, it is reddish-brown, and is often
reticulated about the insertion of the stem; prickles black; flesh
white, somewhat seedy, but crisp, tender, and well flavored.
The Long Green Prickly is hardy and productive; makes a good pickle, if
plucked while young; and is well deserving of cultivation. It differs
from the London Long Green and the Long Green Turkey in its form, which
is much thicker in proportion to its length; and also in the character
of its flesh, which is more pulpy and seedy.
LONG GREEN TURKEY.
Extra Long Green Turkey.
A distinct and well-defined variety; when full grown, sometimes
measuring nearly eighteen inches in length. Form long and slender,
contracted towards the stem in the form of a neck, and swollen towards
the opposite extremity; seeds few, and usually produced nearest the
blossom-end. The neck is generally solid. While the fruit is young, the
skin is deep-green; afterwards it changes to clear yellow, and finally
assumes a rusty-yellow or yellowish-brown. Flesh remarkably firm and
crisp; exceeding, in these respects, that of any other variety. Very
productive and excellent.
Its remarkably firm and crispy flesh, and the absence of seeds, render
it serviceable for the table after it has reached a very considerable
size. For the same reasons, it may be pickled at a stage of its growth
when other more seedy and pulpy sorts would be comparatively worthless.
SHORT PRICKLY.
Short Green Prickly. Early Short Green Prickly.
This variety somewhat resembles the Long Prickly; but it is shorter, and
proportionally thicker. Its length, when suitable for use, is about four
inches. Skin prickly, green, changing to yellow at maturity; flesh
transparent greenish-white, rather seedy, but tender, crisp, and fine
flavored.
The variety is very hardy and productive, comes early into fruit, and is
one of the best for pickling. It is a few days later than the Early
Cluster.
UNDERWOOD'S SHORT PRICKLY.
This is an improved variety of the common Short Prickly, and is the best
of all the sorts for extensive cultivation for pickling. The plant is
hardy and productive. The fruit, when young, is very symmetrical, and of
a fine deep-green color. Its flesh is characterized by extraordinary
crispness and solidity. When more advanced, the color becomes paler, and
the flesh more soft and seedy. The fruit, at maturity, is yellow.
WHITE SPANISH.
The form of this variety is similar to that of the White-spined. The
fruit measures about five inches in length, two inches in diameter, and
is generally somewhat ribbed. When suitable for use, the skin is white;
a characteristic by which the variety is readily distinguished from all
others. The flesh is crisp, tender, and well flavored. At maturity, the
fruit is yellow.
WHITE-SPINED.
Early White-spined. New-York Market.
This very distinct variety is extensively grown for marketing, both at
the North and South. The plants grow from six to ten feet in length;
and, like those of the Early Frame, are of a healthy, luxurious habit.
The fruit is of full medium size, straight, and well formed; about six
inches in length, and two inches and a half in diameter. Skin
deep-green; prickles white; flesh white, tender, crispy, and of
remarkably fine flavor. As the fruit ripens, the skin gradually becomes
paler; and, when fully ripe, is nearly white: by which peculiarity, in
connection with its white spines, the variety is always readily
distinguishable.
The White-spined is one of the best sorts for the table; and is greatly
prized by market-men on account of its color, which is never changed to
yellow, though kept long after being plucked. It is generally thought to
retain its freshness longer than any other variety, and consequently to
be well fitted for transporting long distances; though, on account of
its peculiar color, the freshness may be less real than apparent.
For the very general dissemination of this variety, the public are, in a
great degree, indebted to the late I. P. Rand, Esq., of Boston, whose
integrity as a merchant, and whose skill as a practical vegetable
cultivator and horticulturist, will be long remembered.
* * * * *
EGYPTIAN CUCUMBER.
Hairy Cucumber. Round-leaved Egyptian. Concombre chaté. _Vil._ Cucumis
chate.
This is a tender, annual plant, with an angular, creeping stem, and
alternate, somewhat heart-shaped, leaves. The flowers are axillary,
about an inch in diameter, and of a pale-yellow color; the fruit is
small, oblong, and very hairy.
It is of little value as an esculent, and is rarely cultivated. The
fruit is sometimes eaten in its green state, and also when cooked.
According to Duchesne, the Egyptians prepare from the pulp a very
agreeable and refreshing beverage.
Plant and cultivate as directed for melons or cucumbers.
* * * * *
GLOBE CUCUMBER.
Concombre des prophètes. _Vil._ Cucumis prophetarum.
A tender annual from Arabia. Stem slender, creeping, and furnished with
tendrils, or claspers. The leaves are about three inches in diameter,
five-lobed, and indented on the borders; the flowers are axillary,
yellow, and nearly three-fourths of an inch in diameter; the fruit is
round, and rarely measures an inch in thickness; skin striped with green
and yellow, and thickly set with rigid hairs, or bristles; the seeds are
small, oval, flattened, and of a yellowish color.
_Planting and Culture._--The seeds should be planted at the time of
planting cucumbers or melons, in hills four or five feet apart, and
covered about half an inch deep. Thin to two or three plants to a hill.
_Use._--The fruit is sometimes eaten boiled; but is generally pickled in
its green state, like the common cucumber.
As a table vegetable, it is comparatively unimportant, and not worthy of
cultivation.
* * * * *
CALABASH, OR COMMON GOURD.
Bottle Gourd. Cucurbita lagenaria.
The Calabash, or Common Gourd, is a climbing or creeping annual plant,
frequently more than twenty feet in height or length. The leaves are
large, round, heart-shaped, very soft and velvety to the touch, and emit
a peculiar, musky odor, when bruised or roughly handled. The flowers,
which are produced on very long stems, are white, and nearly three
inches in diameter. They expand towards evening, and remain in
perfection only a few hours; as they are generally found drooping and
withering on the ensuing morning. The young fruit is hairy, and quite
soft and tender; but, when ripe, the surface becomes hard, smooth, and
glossy. The seeds are five-eighths of an inch in length, somewhat
quadrangular, of a fawn-yellow color, and retain their vitality five
years. About three hundred are contained in an ounce.
_Cultivation._--The seeds are planted at the same time and in the same
manner as those of the Squash. The Gourd succeeds best when provided
with a trellis, or other support, to keep the plant from the ground; as
the fruit is best developed in a pendent or hanging position.
_Use._--The fruit, while still young and tender, is sometimes pickled in
vinegar, like cucumbers. At maturity, the flesh is worthless: but the
shells, which are very hard, light, and comparatively strong, are used
as substitutes for baskets; and are also formed into water-dippers, and
various other articles both useful and ornamental. The varieties are as
follow:--
BOTTLE GOURD. _Vil._
Fruit about a foot in length, contracted at the middle, largest at the
blossom-end, but swollen also at the part next the stem.
There is a sub-variety, very much larger; but it is also later.
HERCULES CLUB.
Courge Massue d'Hercule. _Vil._
Fruit very long. Specimens are frequently produced measuring upwards of
five feet in length. It is smallest towards the stem, and increases
gradually in size towards the opposite extremity, which is rounded, and
near which, in its largest diameter, it measures from four to five
inches. Its form is quite peculiar, and is not unlike that of a massive
club: whence the name.
It is frequently seen at horticultural and agricultural shows; and,
though sometimes exhibited as a "cucumber," has little or no value as
an esculent, and must be considered much more curious than useful. It is
of a pea-green color while growing, and the skin is then quite soft and
tender; but, like the other varieties, the surface becomes smooth, and
the skin very hard and shell-like, at maturity.
POWDER-HORN.
Courge Poire à Poudre. _Vil._
Fruit long and slender, broadest at the base, tapering towards the stem,
and often more or less curved. In its general form, it resembles a
common horn, as implied by the name. Its usual length is twelve or
fourteen inches; and its largest diameter, nearly three inches.
SIPHON GOURD.
Courge Siphon. _Vil._
Fruit rounded, and flattened at the blossom-end; then suddenly
contracted to a long, slender neck. The latter often bends or turns
suddenly at nearly a right angle; and, in this form, the fruit very much
resembles a siphon. Pea-green while young, pale-green when mature. Shell
thick and hard.
* * * * *
THE MELON.
Of the Melon, there are two species in general cultivation,--the
Musk-melon (_Cucumis melo_) and the Water-melon (_Cucurbita citrullus_);
each, however, including many varieties. Like the Squash, they are
tender, annual plants, of tropical origin, and only thrive well in a
warm temperature. "The climate of the Middle and Southern States is
remarkably favorable for them; indeed, far more so than that of England,
France, or any of the temperate portions of Europe. Consequently, melons
are raised as field crops by market-gardeners: and, in the month of
August, the finest citrons or green-fleshed melons may be seen in the
markets of New York and Philadelphia in immense quantities; so abundant,
in most seasons, as frequently to be sold at half a dollar per basket,
containing nearly a bushel of fruit. The warm, dry soils of Long Island
and New Jersey are peculiarly favorable to the growth of melons; and,
even at low prices, the product is so large, that this crop is one of
the most profitable."--_Downing._
Through the extraordinary facilities now afforded by railroads and ocean
steam-navigation, the markets of all the cities and large towns of the
northern portions of the United States, and even of the Canadas, are
abundantly supplied within two or three days from the time of gathering:
and they are retailed at prices so low, as to allow of almost universal
consumption; well-ripened and delicious green-fleshed citron-melons
being often sold from six to ten cents each.
_Soil and Cultivation._--Both the Musk and the Water Melon thrive best
in a warm, mellow, rich, sandy loam, and in a sheltered exposure. After
thoroughly stirring the soil by ploughing or spading, make the hills six
or seven feet apart in each direction. Previous to planting, these hills
should be prepared as directed for the Squash; making them a foot and a
half or two feet in diameter, and twelve or fifteen inches in depth.
Thoroughly incorporate at the bottom of the hill a quantity of
well-digested compost, equal to three-fourths of the earth removed; and
then add sufficient fine loam to raise the hill two or three inches
above the surrounding level. On the top of the hill thus formed, plant
twelve or fifteen seeds; and, when the plants are well up, thin them out
from time to time as they progress in size. Finally, when all danger
from bugs and other insect depredators is past, leave but two or three
of the most stocky and promising plants to a hill. When the growth is
too luxuriant, many practise pinching or cutting off the leading shoots;
and, when the young fruit sets in too great numbers, a portion should be
removed, both for the purpose of increasing the size and of hastening
the maturity of those remaining. "Keep the fruit from being injured by
lying on the ground; and if slate, blackened shingles, or any dry, dark
material, be placed beneath it, by attraction of the sun's rays, the
fruit will ripen earlier and better."
The striped bug (_Galereuca vittata_) is the most serious enemy with
which the young melon-plants have to contend. Gauze vine-shields, though
the most expensive, are unquestionably the most effectual preventive.
Boxes either round or square, twelve or fifteen inches in depth, and
entirely uncovered at the top, if placed over the hills, will be found
useful in protecting the plants. The flight of the bug being generally
nearly parallel with the surface of the ground, very few will find their
way within the boxes, if of the depth required. Applications of guano,
ashes, dilutions of oil-soap, and plaster of Paris, applied while the
plants are wet, will be found of greater or less efficacy in their
protection. The pungent smell of guano is said to prevent the
depredation of the flea-beetle, which, in many localities, seriously
injures the plants early in the season, through its attacks on the
seed-leaves.
* * * * *
THE MUSK-MELON.
Cucumis melo.
Plant running,--varying in length from five to eight feet; leaves large,
angular, heart-shaped, and rough on the upper and under surface; flowers
yellow, one-petaled, five-pointed, and about an inch in diameter; seeds
oval, flat, generally yellow, but sometimes nearly white, about
four-tenths of an inch in length, and three-sixteenths of an inch in
breadth,--the size, however, varying to a considerable extent in the
different varieties. An ounce contains from nine hundred to eleven
hundred seeds; and they retain their germinative properties from eight
to ten years.
_Varieties._--These are exceedingly numerous, in consequence of the
great facility with which the various kinds intermix, or hybridize.
Varieties are, however, much more easily produced than retained:
consequently, old names are almost annually discarded from the
catalogues of seedsmen and gardeners; and new names, with superior
recommendations, offered in their stead. The following list embraces
most of the kinds of much prominence or value now cultivated either in
Europe or this country:--
BEECHWOOD.
Fruit nearly spherical, but rather longer than broad,--usually five or
six inches in diameter; skin greenish-yellow, thickly and regularly
netted; flesh green, melting, sugary, and excellent. An early and fine
variety.
BLACK-ROCK CANTALOUPE. _Loud._
A large-fruited, late variety; form variable, but generally round, and
flattened at the ends; size large,--ten inches in diameter, eight inches
deep, and weighing eight or ten pounds. The skin varies in color from
grayish-green to deep-green; becomes yellow at maturity, and is thickly
spread with knobby bunches, or small protuberances. Rind very thick;
flesh reddish-orange, melting, and sugary. It requires a long season for
its full perfection.
CHRISTIANA.
This variety was originated by the late Capt. Josiah Lovett, of Beverly,
Mass. Form roundish; size rather small,--average specimens measuring
nearly the same as the Green Citron; skin yellowish-green; flesh yellow,
sweet, juicy, and of good quality. Its early maturity is its principal
recommendation; the Green Citron, Nutmeg, and many other varieties,
surpassing it in firmness of flesh, sweetness, and general excellence.
It would probably ripen at the North, or in short seasons, when other
sorts generally fail.
CITRON.
Green-fleshed Citron. Green Citron.
[Illustration: Green Citron Melon.]
Fruit nearly round, but flattened slightly at the ends,--deeply and very
regularly ribbed; size medium, or rather small,--average specimens
measuring about six inches in diameter, and five inches and a half in
depth; skin green, and thickly netted,--when fully mature, the green
becomes more soft and mellow, or of a yellowish shade; flesh green,
quite thick, very juicy, and of the richest and most sugary flavor. It
is an abundant bearer, quite hardy, and remarkably uniform in its
quality. It is deservedly the most popular as a market sort; and for
cultivation for family use, every thing considered, has few superiors.
In common with the Carolina Water-melon, the Green Citron is extensively
grown at the South for shipping to the northern portions of the United
States; appearing in the markets of New York and Boston three or four
weeks in advance of the season of those raised in the same vicinity in
the open ground.
EARLY CANTALOUPE.
This variety possesses little merit aside from its very early maturity.
It is a roundish melon, flattened a little at the ends, ribbed, and of
comparatively small size; usually measuring about five inches in
diameter. Skin yellowish, often spotted with green, and sometimes a
little warty; rind quite thick; flesh reddish-orange, sweet, and of good
flavor.
It is exceedingly variable in size, form, and color.
HARDY RIDGE. _Loud._
Fruit rather small, round, depressed, strongly ribbed, and irregularly
warted all over its surface; skin dull yellow, mottled with dull green;
flesh an inch thick, bright orange-red, sweet, and well flavored; rind
thick; weight from three to four pounds. Not an early, but a productive
variety.
LARGE-RIBBED NETTED.
Common Musk-melon.
[Illustration: Large Netted Musk-melon.]
Fruit very large, oval, strongly ribbed; skin yellow, very thickly
netted, sometimes so closely as to cover nearly the entire surface;
flesh salmon-yellow, remarkably thick and sweet, but not fine-grained or
melting, when compared with the more recent and improved varieties.
Hardy and productive. In good soil and favorable seasons, the fruit
sometimes attains a length of fifteen inches, and weighs upwards of
twenty pounds.
MUNROE'S GREEN FLESH. _Vil._
A comparatively new variety. The fruit is nearly spherical, but tapers
slightly towards the stem, and is rather regularly as well as distinctly
ribbed. Its diameter is about five inches. Cicatrix large; skin
greenish-yellow, thickly and finely netted over the entire surface; rind
thin; flesh green, remarkably transparent, comparatively thick, very
melting, and highly perfumed.
NUTMEG.
Fruit oval, regularly but faintly ribbed, eight or nine inches in
length, and about six inches in its broadest diameter; skin pale-green,
and very thickly netted; rind thin; flesh light-green, rich, sweet,
melting, and highly perfumed.
The Nutmeg Melon has been long in cultivation, and is almost everywhere
to be found in the vegetable garden, though seldom in a perfectly
unmixed state. When the variety is pure, and the fruit perfectly
ripened, it is of most delicious excellence, and deservedly ranked as
one of "the best."
ORANGE CANTALOUPE.
An oval variety, about six inches in length by five inches in diameter,
rather prominently ribbed. Skin yellow, marbled with green, thickly
netted about the stem, and sparsely so over the remainder of the
surface; rind thick; flesh reddish-orange, sweet, highly perfumed, and
of good flavor. Very early and productive.
PINE-APPLE.
Form roundish, inclining to oval, either without ribs or with
rib-marking, very faintly defined; size small,--the average diameter
being about five inches and a half; skin olive-green, with net-markings
more or less abundant; rind thin; flesh green, melting, sweet, and
perfumed. Season early.
It is an excellent sort, easily grown, and very productive.
PRESCOTT CANTALOUPE. _Vil._
Fruit generally somewhat flattened, but variable in form, deeply ribbed;
size large,--well-grown specimens measuring eight or ten inches in
diameter, and weighing from seven to nine pounds; skin thickly covered
with small tubercles; color varying from grayish-green to clear-green,
more or less deep, changing to yellow at maturity; rind very thick;
flesh orange-red, sugary and melting, and of delicious flavor.
There are numerous sub-varieties, as grown by different gardeners,
varying somewhat in form, color, and time of maturity; all, however,
corresponding nearly with the above description, though known by
different names, as the "White," "Gray," "Black," "Prescott," &c. Much
esteemed in France, and extensively grown by market-gardeners in the
vicinity of Paris.
SKILLMAN'S FINE-NETTED.
This variety much resembles the Pine-apple. Form rounded, flattened
slightly at the ends; flesh green, sugary, melting, and excellent. It
has been pronounced "the earliest of the green-fleshed sorts."
VICTORY OF BATH.
A recently introduced variety of English origin. Fruit egg-shaped,
faintly ribbed, rounded at the blossom-end, and slightly contracted
towards the stem,--at the insertion of which, it is flattened to a
small, plane surface; size medium,--about six inches deep, and five
inches in diameter; skin green, clouded with yellow, and sparsely
covered with fine net-markings; skin thin; flesh green.
* * * * *
PERSIAN MELONS. _Trans._
These differ remarkably from the varieties commonly cultivated. They are
destitute of the thick, hard rind which characterizes the common sorts,
and which renders so large a portion of the fruit useless. On the
contrary, the Persian melons are protected by a skin so thin and
delicate, that they are subject to injury from causes that would produce
no perceptible effect on the sorts in general cultivation. As a class,
they are not only prolific, but their flesh is extremely tender, rich,
and sweet, and flows copiously with a cool juice, which renders them
still more grateful. They are, however, not early; and, for their
complete perfection, require a long and warm season.
_Varieties._--
DAMPSHA. _M'Int._
Flesh dark-green near the skin, rather whitish towards the centre, quite
melting, and of excellent flavor. The first-produced fruit in the season
is somewhat cylindrical, bluntly pointed at both ends; the whole surface
being prominently netted, and of a pale-yellow or dark-olive color. The
secondary crop has the fruit more pointed and less netted, and the skin
becomes much darker. Like the other varieties of winter melons, it may
be preserved a long time after being taken from the vines, if suspended
in a dry room. Weight four to five pounds.
DAREE. _Trans._
This resembles the Geree Melon in color, as well as in many other
respects. It is of the same form; but the rind, when netted, exhibits
coarser reticulations. The flesh is white, thick, crisp, and melting;
when fully ripened, very sweet, but rather insipid if imperfectly
matured. It is always, however, cool and pleasant.
GEREE. _Trans._
A handsome green fruit. In shape, it is oval, or ovate; and measures
eight inches in length by four inches and a half in breadth. The skin is
closely mottled with dark sea-green upon a pale ground, and is either
netted or not. In the former case, the meshes are very close; by which
character, it may be readily distinguished from the Daree. Stalk very
short; flesh an inch and a half or two inches thick, bright-green,
melting, very sweet, and highly flavored. Though perhaps equally rich,
it is not so beautiful or so juicy as the Melon of Keiseng. A good
bearer, but requires a warm, long season.
GERMEK. _Trans._
Large Germek.
A handsome large-sized, ribbed fruit, shaped like a compressed sphere;
usually six inches in length, and from seven to nine inches in diameter.
Skin deep-green, closely netted; flesh from an inch and a half to two
inches thick, clear green, firm, juicy, and high flavored. This is an
excellent variety, an abundant bearer, ripens early, and exceeds in size
any of the Persian melons.
GREEN HOOSAINEE. _Trans._
A handsome egg-shaped fruit, five inches long by four inches broad: when
unripe, of a very deep-green; but, in maturity, acquiring a fine, even,
light-green, regularly netted surface, which, on the exposed side,
becomes rather yellow. The flesh is pale-greenish white, tender and
delicate, full of a highly perfumed, pleasant, sweet juice; the rind is
very thin; the seeds are unusually large.
It is a variety of much excellence, a great bearer, and one of the
hardiest of the Persian melons.
GREEN VALENCIA. _M'Int._
A winter sort. Although not rich in flavor, it is firm, saccharine, and
juicy; and upon the whole, if fully ripened, a more desirable melon than
many of the summer varieties.
ISPAHAN. _Trans._
Sweet Ispahan.
This has been pronounced "the most delicious of all melons." The fruit
is egg-shaped, varying in length from eight to twelve inches, and
weighing from six to eight pounds; skin nearly smooth, of a deep
sulphur-yellow; flesh nearly white, extending about half way to its
centre, crisp, sugary, and very rich.
It is a variety of much excellence, but is fully perfected only in
favorable seasons.
MELON OF KEISENG. _Loud._
A beautiful egg-shaped fruit, eight inches long, five inches wide in the
middle, six inches wide at the lower extremity; very regularly and
handsomely formed. Color pale lemon-yellow; flesh from an inch and a
half to two inches and a quarter thick, nearly white, flowing copiously
with juice, extremely delicate, sweet, and high flavored, very similar
in texture to a well-ripened Beurré pear; rind thin, but so firm that
all the fleshy part of the fruit may be eaten.
It differs from the Sweet Ispahan in being closely netted.
MELON OF SEEN.
A fruit of regular figure and handsome appearance, seven inches long by
five inches wide. Shape ovate, with a small mamelon at the apex; surface
pale dusky yellow, regularly and closely netted, except the mamelon,
which is but little marked; rind very thin; flesh from an inch and a
half to two inches thick, pale-green, sometimes becoming reddish towards
the inside, exceedingly tender and juicy; juice sweet, and delicately
perfumed. A good bearer, but requires a long season. Named from Seen, a
village near Ispahan; where the variety was procured.
SMALL GERMEK. _Trans._
This ripens about a week earlier than the Large Germek, but is not so
valuable a fruit. In form, it is a depressed sphere, with about eight
rounded ribs. It measures four inches in depth by four inches and a
half in width. The skin is even, yellowish, with a little green about
the interstices, obscurely netted; the flesh is green, inclining to
reddish in the inside, an inch and a half thick, juicy, and high
flavored; skin very thin. The pulp in which the seeds are immersed is
reddish. It is not a great bearer, and the vines are tender.
STRIPED HOOSAINEE. _Trans._
Fruit oval and much netted, dark-green in broad stripes, with narrow
intervals of dull white, which become faintly yellow as the fruit
ripens; pulp externally green, but more internally pale-red, excessively
juicy, and more perfectly melting than that of the famous Ispahan Melon.
It is sweeter and higher flavored than any other Persian variety, but
requires a long, warm season for its full perfection.
* * * * *
THE WATER-MELON.
Cucurbita citrullus.
Plant running,--the length varying from eight to twelve feet; leaves
bluish-green, five-lobed, the lobes rounded at the ends; flowers
pale-yellow, about an inch in diameter; fruit large, roundish, green, or
variegated with different shades of green; seeds oval, flattened, half
an inch long, five-sixteenths of an inch broad,--the color varying
according to the variety, being either red, white, black, yellowish or
grayish brown. An ounce contains from a hundred and seventy-five to two
hundred seeds, and they retain their vitality eight years.
The Water-melon is more vigorous in its habit than the Musk-melon, and
requires more space in cultivation; the hills being usually made eight
feet apart in each direction. It is less liable to injury from insects,
and the crop is consequently much more certain. The seed should not be
planted till May, or before established warm weather; and but two good
plants allowed to a hill. The varieties are as follow:--
APPLE-SEEDED.
A rather small, nearly round sort, deriving its name from its small,
peculiar seeds; which, in form, size, and color, are somewhat similar to
those of the apple. Skin deep, clear-green; rind very thin; flesh
bright-red to the centre, sweet, tender, and well-flavored. It is hardy,
bears abundantly, seldom fails to ripen perfectly in the shortest
seasons, and keeps a long time after being gathered.
BLACK SPANISH.
Spanish.
Form oblong; size large; skin very dark or blackish green; rind half an
inch thick; flesh deep-red (contrasting finely with the very deep-green
color of the skin), fine-grained, very sugary, and of excellent flavor.
The variety is hardy, productive, thrives well, matures its fruit in the
Northern and Eastern States, and is decidedly one of the best for
general cultivation. Seeds dark-brown, or nearly black.
BRADFORD. _W. D. Brinckle._
The Bradford is a highly prized, South-Carolina variety; size large;
form oblong; skin dark-green, with gray, longitudinal stripes, mottled
and reticulated with green; rind not exceeding half an inch in
thickness; seed yellowish-white, slightly mottled, and with a
yellowish-brown stripe around the edge; flesh fine red to the centre;
flavor fine and sugary; quality "best."
CAROLINA.
Fruit of large size, and of an oblong form, usually somewhat swollen
towards the blossom-end; skin deep-green, variegated with pale-green or
white; flesh deep-red, not fine-grained, but crisp, sweet, and of fair
quality; fruit frequently hollow at the centre; seeds black.
This variety is extensively grown in the Southern States for exportation
to the North, where it appears in the markets about the beginning of
August, and to some extent in July. Many of the specimens are much less
marked with stripes and variegations than the true Carolina; and some
shipments consist almost entirely of fruit of a uniform deep-green
color, but of the form and quality of the Carolina.
Downing mentions a sub-variety with pale-yellow flesh and white seeds.
CITRON WATER-MELON.
Form very nearly spherical; size rather small,--average specimens
measuring six or seven inches in diameter; color pale-green, marbled
with darker shades of green; flesh white, solid, tough, seedy, and very
squashy and unpalatable in its crude state. It ripens late in the
season, and will keep until December. "It is employed in the making of
sweetmeats and preserves, by removing the rind or skin and seeds,
cutting the flesh into convenient bits, and boiling in sirup which has
been flavored with ginger, lemon, or some agreeable article. Its
cultivation is the same as that of other kinds of melons."--_New
American Cyclopædia._
CLARENDON. _W. D. Brinckle._
Dark-speckled.
Size large; form oblong; skin mottled-gray, with dark-green,
interrupted, longitudinal stripes, irregular in their outline, and
composed of a succession of peninsulas and isthmuses; rind thin, not
exceeding half an inch; seed yellow, with a black stripe extending round
the edge, and from one to three black spots on each side,--the form and
number corresponding on the two sides; flesh scarlet to the centre;
flavor sugary and exquisite, and quality "best."
This fine melon originated in Clarendon County, South Carolina; and,
when pure, may at all times be readily recognized by the peculiarly
characteristic markings of the seeds.
ICE-CREAM.
A large, very pale-green sort; when unmixed, readily distinguishable
from all other varieties. Form nearly round, but sometimes a little
depressed at the extremities; rind thicker than in most varieties; flesh
white, very sweet and tender, and of remarkably fine flavor; seeds
white. It is prolific, and also early; and is remarkably well adapted
for cultivation in cold localities, or where the seasons are too short
for the successful culture of the more tender and late kinds. Its
pale-green skin, white flesh, and white seeds, are its prominent
distinctive peculiarities.
IMPERIAL. _Down._
This variety is said to have been introduced from the Mediterranean.
Fruit round, or oblate, and of medium size; skin pale-green, with
stripes and variegations of white or paler green; rind thin; flesh
pale-red, crisp, sweet, and of excellent flavor; seeds reddish-brown.
Very productive, but requiring a warm situation and a long season for
its complete perfection.
MOUNTAIN SPROUT.
This variety is similar to the Mountain Sweet. It is of large size,
long, and of an oval form. Skin striped and marbled with paler and
deeper shades of green; rind thin,--measuring scarcely half an inch in
thickness; flesh scarlet, a little hollow at the centre, crisp, sugary,
and of excellent flavor.
Like the Mountain Sweet, it is a favorite market sort. It is not only of
fine quality, but very productive. Seeds russet-brown.
MOUNTAIN SWEET.
A large, long, oval variety, often contracted towards the stem in the
form of a neck; skin striped and marbled with different shades of green;
rind rather thin, measuring scarcely half an inch in thickness; flesh
scarlet, and solid quite to the centre; seeds pale russet-brown, but
often of greater depth of color in perfectly matured specimens of fruit.
A popular and extensively cultivated variety, quite hardy, productive,
and of good quality. "For many years, it was universally conceded to be
the best market sort cultivated in the Middle States, but of late has
lost some of the properties that recommended it so highly to favor. This
deterioration has probably been owing to the influence of pollen from
inferior kinds grown in its vicinity."
ODELL'S LARGE WHITE. _W. D. Brinckle._
Size very large, sometimes weighing sixty pounds; form round; skin gray,
with fine green network spread over its uneven surface; rind nearly
three-fourths of an inch in thickness; seeds large, grayish-black, and
not numerous; flesh pale-red; flavor fine; quality very good.
Productiveness said to exceed that of most other kinds.
This remarkably large melon originated with a negro man on the property
of Col. A. G. Sumner, of South Carolina. Its large size, and
long-keeping quality after being separated from the vine, will recommend
the variety, especially for the market.
ORANGE.
Form oval, of medium size; skin pale-green, marbled with shades of
deeper green; rind half an inch in depth, or of medium thickness; flesh
red, not fine-grained, but tender, sweet, and of good quality. When in
its mature state, the rind separates readily from the flesh, in the
manner of the peel from the flesh of an orange.
When first introduced, the variety was considered one of the best
quality; but it appears to have in some degree deteriorated, and now
compares unfavorably with many other sorts.
PIE-MELON.
California Pie-melon.
Plant running,--the foliage and general habit resembling the Common
Water-melon, but yet distinguishable by its larger size, more hairy
stem, and its more stocky and vigorous character; fruit oblong, very
large, measuring sixteen inches and upwards in length, and from eight to
ten inches in diameter; skin yellowish-green, often marbled with
different shades of light-green or pea-green; flesh white, succulent,
somewhat tender, but very unpalatable, or with a squash-like flavor, in
its crude state. As intimated by the name, it is used only for culinary
purposes.
This melon should be cooked as follows: After removing the rind, cut the
flesh into pieces of convenient size, and stew until soft and pulpy.
Lemon-juice, sugar, and spices should then be added; after which,
proceed in the usual manner of making pies from the apple or any other
fruit. If kept from freezing, or from dampness and extreme cold, the
Pie-melon may be preserved until March.
RAVENSCROFT. _W. D. Brinckle._
Size large; form oblong; skin dark-green, faintly striped and marked
with green of a lighter shade, and divided longitudinally by sutures
from an inch and a quarter to two inches apart; rind not more than half
an inch in thickness; seed cream-color, tipped with brown at the eye,
and having a brown stripe around the edge; flesh fine red, commencing
abruptly at the rind, and extending to the centre; flavor delicious and
sugary; quality "best."
This valuable water-melon originated with Col. A. G. Sumner, of South
Carolina.
SOUTER. _W. D. Brinckle._
Size large, sometimes weighing twenty or thirty pounds; form oblong,
occasionally roundish; skin peculiarly marked with finely reticulated,
isolated, gray spots, surrounded by paler green, and having irregular,
dark-green, longitudinal stripes extending from the base to the apex;
rind thin, about half an inch thick; seed pure cream-white, with a faint
russet stripe around the edge; flesh deep-red to the centre; flavor
sugary and delicious; quality "best." Productiveness said to be
unusually great.
This excellent variety originated in Sumpter District, South Carolina.
* * * * *
PAPANJAY, OR SPONGE CUCUMBER.
Papangaye. _Vil._ Cucumis acutangulus.
This is an East-Indian plant, with a creeping stem, and angular,
heart-shaped leaves. The flowers (several of which are produced on one
stem) are yellow; the fruit is ten or twelve inches in length, about an
inch and a half in diameter, deeply furrowed or grooved in the
direction of its length, forming ten longitudinal, acute angles; the
skin is hard, and of a russet-yellow color; the seeds are black, rough,
and hard, and quite irregular in form,--about five hundred are contained
in an ounce.
_Use._--The fruit is eaten while it is quite young and small; served in
the manner of cucumbers, or like vegetable marrow. When fully ripened,
it is exceedingly tough, fibrous, and porous, and is sometimes used as a
substitute for sponge: whence the name.
* * * * *
PRICKLY-FRUITED GHERKIN.
Gherkin. West-Indian Cucumber. Jamaica Cucumber. Cucumis anguria.
This species is said to be a native of Jamaica. The habit of the plant
is similar to that of the Globe Cucumber, and its season of maturity is
nearly the same. The surface of the fruit is thickly set with spiny
nipples, and has an appearance very unlike that of the Common Cucumber.
It is comparatively of small size, and of a regular, oval
form,--generally measuring about two inches in length by an inch and a
third in its largest diameter; color pale-green; flesh greenish-white,
very seedy and pulpy. The seeds are quite small, oval, flattened,
yellowish-white, and retain their vitality five years.
It is somewhat later than the Common Cucumber, and requires nearly the
whole season for its full development. Plant in hills about five feet
apart; cover the seeds scarcely half an inch deep, and leave three
plants to a hill.
The Prickly-fruited Gherkin is seldom served at table sliced in its
crude state. It is principally grown for pickling: for which purpose it
should be plucked when about half grown, or while the skin is tender,
and can be easily broken by the nail. As the season of maturity
approaches, the rind gradually hardens, and the fruit becomes worthless.
In all stages of its growth, the flesh is comparatively spongy; and, in
the process of pickling, absorbs a large quantity of vinegar.
* * * * *
THE PUMPKIN.
Cucurbita pepo.
Under this head, on the authority of the late Dr. T. W. Harris, should
properly be included "the common New-England field-pumpkin, the
bell-shaped and crook-necked winter squashes, the Canada crook-necked,
the custard squashes, and various others, all of which (whether rightly
or not, cannot now be determined) have been generally referred by
botanists to the _Cucurbita pepo_ of Linnæus."
The term "pumpkin," as generally used in this country by writers on
gardening and agriculture, and as popularly understood, includes only
the few varieties of the Common New-England Pumpkin that have been long
grown in fields in an extensive but somewhat neglectful manner; the
usual practice being to plant a seed or two at certain intervals in
fields of corn or potatoes, and afterwards to leave the growing vines to
the care of themselves. Even under these circumstances, a ton is
frequently harvested from a single acre, in addition to a heavy crop of
corn or potatoes.
The Pumpkin was formerly much used in domestic economy; but, since the
introduction of the Crook-necks, Boston Marrow, Hubbard, and other
improved varieties of squashes, it has gradually fallen into disuse, and
is now cultivated principally for agricultural purposes.
_Varieties._--The following are the principal varieties, although
numerous intermediate sorts occur, more or less distinct, as well as
more or less permanent in character:--
CANADA PUMPKIN.
Vermont Pumpkin.
The Canada Pumpkin is of an oblate form, inclining to conic; and is
deeply and regularly ribbed. When well grown, it is of comparatively
large size, and measures thirteen or fourteen inches in diameter, and
about ten inches in depth. Color fine, deep orange-yellow; skin or shell
rather thick and hard; flesh yellow, fine-grained, sweet, and well
flavored. Hardy, and very productive.
Compared with the common field variety, the Canada is much more
flattened in its form, more regularly and deeply ribbed, of a deeper and
richer color; and the flesh is generally much sweeter, and less coarse
and stringy in its texture. It seems adapted to every description of
soil; thrives well in all climates; and is one of the best sorts for
agricultural purposes, as well as of good quality for the table.
CHEESE PUMPKIN.
Plant very vigorous; leaves large, deep-green; fruit much flattened,
deeply and rather regularly ribbed, broadly dishing about the stem, and
basin-like at the opposite extremity. It is of large size; and, when
well grown, often measures fifteen or sixteen inches in diameter, and
nine or ten inches in depth. Skin fine, deep reddish-orange, and, if the
fruit is perfectly matured, quite hard and shell-like; flesh very thick,
yellow, fine-grained, sweet, and well flavored. The seeds are not
distinguishable from those of the Common Field Pumpkin.
The Cheese Pumpkin is hardy, remarkably productive, and much superior in
all respects to most of the field-grown sorts. Whether the variety
originated in this country, cannot probably now be determined; but it
was extensively disseminated in the Middle States at the time of the
American Revolution, and was introduced into certain parts of New
England by the soldiers on their return from service. After a lapse of
more than seventy-five years,--during which time it must have
experienced great diversity of treatment and culture,--it still can be
found in its original type; having the same form, color, size, and the
same thickness, and quality of flesh, which it possessed at the time of
its introduction.
COMMON YELLOW FIELD PUMPKIN.
Plant of vigorous, stocky habit, extending twelve feet and upwards in
length; fruit rounded, usually a little more deep than broad, flattened
at the ends, and rather regularly, and more or less prominently, ribbed.
Its size is much affected by soil, season, and the purity of the seed.
Average specimens will measure about fourteen inches in length, and
eleven or twelve inches in diameter. Color rich, clear orange-yellow;
skin, or rind, if the fruit is well matured, rather dense and hard;
flesh variable in thickness, but averaging about an inch and a half, of
a yellow color, generally coarse-grained, and often stringy, but
sometimes of fine texture, dry, and of good quality; seeds of medium
size, cream-yellow.
The cultivation of the Common Yellow Field Pumpkin in this country is
almost co-eval with its settlement. For a long period, few, if any, of
the numerous varieties of squashes, now so generally disseminated, were
known; and the Pumpkin was not only extensively employed as a material
for pies, but was much used as a vegetable, in the form of squash, at
the table. During the struggle for national independence, when the
excessively high prices of sugars and molasses prevented their general
use, it was the practice to reduce by evaporation the liquid in which
the pumpkin had been cooked, and to use the saccharine matter thus
obtained as a substitute for the more costly but much more palatable
sweetening ingredients. When served at table in the form of a vegetable,
a well-ripened, fine-grained pumpkin was selected, divided either
lengthwise or crosswise; the seeds extracted; the loose, stringy matter
removed from the inner surface of the flesh; and the two sections, thus
prepared, were baked, till soft, in a common oven. The flesh was then
scooped from the shell, pressed, seasoned, and served in the usual form.
By many, it is still highly esteemed, and even preferred for pies to the
Squash, or the more improved varieties of pumpkins; but its cultivation
at present is rather for agricultural than for culinary purposes.
CONNECTICUT FIELD PUMPKIN.
A large, yellow, field variety, not unlike the Common Yellow in form,
but with a softer skin, or shell. It is very prolific, of fair quality
as an esculent, and one of the best for cultivating for stock or for
agricultural purposes.
LONG YELLOW FIELD PUMPKIN.
Plant hardy and vigorous, not distinguishable from that of the Common
Yellow variety; fruit oval, much elongated, the length usually about
twice the diameter; size large,--well-grown specimens measuring sixteen
to twenty inches in length, and nine or ten inches in diameter; surface
somewhat ribbed, but with the markings less distinct than those of the
Common Yellow; color bright orange-yellow; skin of moderate thickness,
generally easily broken by the nail; flesh about an inch and a half in
thickness, yellow, of good but not fine quality, usually sweet, but
watery, and of no great value for the table.
It is very hardy and productive; well adapted for planting among corn or
potatoes; may be profitably raised for feeding out to stock; keeps well
when properly stored; and selected specimens will afford a tolerable
substitute for the Squash in the kitchen, particularly for pies.
Between this and the Common Yellow, there are various intermediate
sorts; and, as they readily hybridize with each other, it is with
difficulty that these varieties can be preserved in a pure state. Only
one of the sorts should be cultivated, unless there is sufficient
territory to enable the cultivator to allow a large distance between
the fields where the different varieties are grown.
NANTUCKET.
Hard-shell. "Nigger-head."
Form flattened or depressed, but sometimes oblong or bell-shaped, often
faintly ribbed; size medium or rather small; color deep-green, somewhat
mellowed by exposure to the sun, or at full maturity; skin or shell
thick and hard, and more or less thickly covered with prominent,
wart-like excrescences; flesh comparatively thick, yellow, sweet,
fine-grained, and of excellent flavor,--comparing favorably in all
respects with that of the Sugar Pumpkin. It is a productive sort, and
its flesh much dryer and more sugary than the peculiar, green, and warty
appearance of the fruit would indicate. When cooked, it should be
divided into pieces of convenient size; the seeds, and loose, stringy
parts, removed from the inner surface of the flesh, and then boiled or
baked in the skin or shell; afterwards scooping out the flesh, as is
practised with the Hubbard Squash or other hard-shelled varieties of
pumpkins. It is an excellent pie-variety, and selected specimens will be
found of good quality when served as squash at the table. It will keep
till February or March.
STRIPED FIELD PUMPKIN.
Habit of the plant, and form of the fruit, very similar to the Common
Yellow Field Pumpkin. The size, however, will average less; although
specimens may sometimes be procured as large as the dimension given for
the Common Yellow. Color yellow, striped and variegated with
green,--after being gathered, the green becomes gradually softer and
paler, and the yellow deeper; flesh yellow, moderately thick, and,
though by some considered of superior quality, has not the fine, dry,
and well-flavored character essential for table use; seeds similar to
the foregoing sorts.
The Striped Field Pumpkin is a hardy sort, and yields well. It is,
however, exceedingly liable to hybridize with all the varieties of the
family, and is with difficulty preserved in an unmixed condition. It
should be grown as far apart as possible from all others, especially
when the seed raised is designed for sale or for reproduction at home.
SUGAR-PUMPKIN.
Small Sugar-pumpkin.
[Illustration: Sugar-pumkin.]
Plant similar in its character and general appearance to the Common
Field Pumpkin; fruit small, eight or nine inches at its broadest
diameter, and about six inches in depth; form much depressed, usually
broadest near the middle, and more or less distinctly ribbed; skin
bright orange-yellow when the fruit is well ripened, hard, and
shell-like, and not easily broken by the nail; stem quite long,
greenish, furrowed, and somewhat reticulated; flesh of good thickness,
light-yellow, very fine-grained, sweet, and well flavored; seeds of
smaller size than, but in other respects similar to, those of the Field
Pumpkin. The variety is the smallest of the sorts usually employed for
field cultivation. It is, however, a most abundant bearer, rarely fails
in maturing its crops perfectly, is of first-rate quality, and may be
justly styled an acquisition. For pies, it is not surpassed by any of
the family; and it is superior for table use to many of the garden
squashes. The facility with which it hybridizes or mixes with other
kinds renders it extremely difficult to keep the variety pure; the
tendency being to increase in size, to grow longer or deeper, and to
become warty: either of which conditions may be considered an infallible
evidence of deterioration.
Varieties sometimes occur more or less marbled and spotted with green;
the green, however, often changing to yellow after harvesting.
* * * * *
SNAKE OR SERPENT CUCUMBER.
Cucumis flexuosus.
Though generally considered as a species of cucumber, this plant should
properly be classed with the melons. In its manner of growth, foliage,
flowering, and in the odor and taste of the ripened fruit, it strongly
resembles the musk-melon. The fruit is slender and flexuous; frequently
measures more than three feet in length; and is often gracefully coiled
or folded in a serpent-like form. The skin is green; the flesh, while
the fruit is forming, is greenish-white,--at maturity, yellow; the seeds
are yellowish-white, oval, flattened, often twisted or contorted like
those of some varieties of melons, and retain their vitality five years.
_Planting and Cultivation._--The seeds should be planted in May, in
hills six feet apart. Cover half an inch deep, and allow three plants to
a hill.
_Use._--The fruit is sometimes pickled in the manner of the Common
Cucumber, but is seldom served at table sliced in its crude state. It is
generally cultivated on account of its serpent-like form, rather than
for its value as an esculent.
Well-grown specimens are quite attractive; and, as curious vegetable
productions, contribute to the interest and variety of horticultural
exhibitions.
* * * * *
THE SQUASH.
All the varieties are tender annuals, and of tropical origin. They only
thrive well in a warm temperature: and the seed should not be sown in
spring until all danger from frost is past, and the ground is warm and
thoroughly settled; as, aside from the tender nature of the plant, the
seed is extremely liable to rot in the ground in continued damp and cold
weather.
Any good, well-enriched soil is adapted to the growth of the Squash. The
hills should be made from eight to ten inches in depth, two feet in
diameter, and then filled within three or four inches of the surface
with well-digested compost; afterwards adding sufficient fine loam to
raise the hill an inch or two above the surrounding level. On this,
plant twelve or fifteen seeds; covering about three-fourths of an inch
deep. Keep the earth about the plants loose and clean; and from time to
time remove the surplus vines, leaving the most stocky and vigorous.
Three plants are sufficient for a hill; to which number the hills should
ultimately be thinned, making the final thinning when all danger from
bugs and other vermin is past. The dwarfs may be planted four feet
apart; but the running sorts should not be less than six or eight. The
custom of cutting or nipping off the leading shoot of the running
varieties is now practised to some extent, with the impression that it
both facilitates the formation of fruitful laterals and the early
maturing of the fruit. Whether the amount of product is increased by the
process, is not yet determined.
In giving the following descriptions, no attempt has been made to
present them under scientific divisions; but they have been arranged as
they are in this country popularly understood:--
_Summer Varieties._--
APPLE SQUASH.
Early Apple.
Plant running, not of stocky habit, but healthy and vigorous; fruit
obtusely conical, three inches broad at the stem, and two inches and a
half in depth; skin yellowish-white, thin and tender while the fruit is
young, hard and shell-like when ripe; flesh dry and well flavored in its
green state, and often of good quality at full maturity.
The fruit is comparatively small; and, on this account, the variety is
very little cultivated.
BUSH SUMMER WARTED CROOKNECK.
Early Summer Crookneck. Yellow Summer Warted Crookneck. Cucurbita
verrucosa.
[Illustration: Bush Summer Warted Crookneck Squash.]
Plant dwarfish or bushy in habit, generally about two feet and a half in
height or length; fruit largest at the blossom-end, and tapering
gradually to a neck, which is solid, and more or less curved; size
medium,--average specimens, when suitable for use, measuring about eight
inches in length, and three inches in diameter at the broadest part; the
neck is usually about two inches in thickness; color clear,
bright-yellow; skin very warty, thin, and easily broken by the nail
while the fruit is young, and suitable for use,--as the season of
maturity approaches, the rind gradually becomes firmer, and, when fully
ripe, is very hard and shell-like; flesh greenish-yellow, dry, and well
flavored; seeds comparatively small, broad in proportion to the length,
and of a pale-yellow color. About four hundred are contained in an
ounce.
The Bush Summer Crookneck is generally esteemed the finest of the summer
varieties. It is used only while young and tender, or when the skin can
be easily pierced or broken by the nail. After the fruit hardens, the
flesh becomes watery, coarse, strong flavored, and unfit for table use.
On account of the dwarfish character of the plants, the hills may be
made four feet apart. Three plants will be sufficient for a hill.
EARLY WHITE BUSH SCOLLOPED.
White Pattypan. Cymbling. White Summer Scolloped. Pattison Blanc. _Vil._
This is a sub-variety of the Early Yellow Bush Scolloped. The plant has
the same dwarf habit, and the fruit is nearly of the same size and
form. The principal distinction between the varieties consists in the
difference of color.
By some, the white variety is considered a little inferior in fineness
of texture and in flavor to the yellow; though the white is much the
more abundant in the markets. Both of the varieties are hardy and
productive; and there is but little difference in the season of their
maturity.
In the month of June, large quantities are shipped from the Southern and
Middle States to the North and East, where they anticipate from two to
three weeks the products of the home-market gardens; the facilities
afforded by steam transportation rendering nearly profitless the efforts
of gardeners to obtain an early crop. As the variety keeps well, and
suffers little from transportation, the squashes are generally found
fresh and in good order on their arrival.
EARLY YELLOW BUSH SCOLLOPED.
Cymbling. Pattypan. Yellow Summer Scollop.
[Illustration: Early Yellow Bush Scolloped.]
Plant dwarf, of rather erect habit, and about two feet and a half in
height; leaves large, clear-green; fruit somewhat of a hemispherical
form, expanded at the edge, which is deeply and very regularly
scolloped. When suitable for use, it measures about five inches in
diameter, and three inches in depth; but, when fully matured, the
diameter is often ten or twelve inches, and even upwards. Color yellow;
skin, while young, thin, and easily pierced,--at maturity, hard and
shell-like; flesh pale-yellow, tolerably fine-grained, and well
flavored,--not, however, quite so dry and sweet as that of the Summer
Crookneck; seeds broader in proportion to their length than the seeds of
most varieties, and of comparatively small size. Four hundred and
twenty-five weigh an ounce.
This variety has been common to the gardens of this country for upwards
of a century; during which period, the form and general character have
been very slightly, if at all, changed. When grown in the vicinity of
the Bush Summer Crookneck, the surface sometimes exhibits the same
wart-like excrescences; but there is little difficulty in procuring
seeds that will prove true to the description above given.
Like the Summer Crookneck, the scolloped squashes are used while young
or in a green state. After the hardening of the skin, or shell, the
flesh generally becomes coarse, watery, strong-flavored, and unfit for
the table.
The hills should be made about four feet apart, and three plants allowed
to a hill. Season from the beginning of July to the middle or last of
August.
EGG-SQUASH.
Cucurbita ovifera.
An ornamental variety, generally cultivated for its peculiar, egg-like
fruit, which usually measures about three inches in length, and two
inches or two and a half in diameter. Skin, or shell, white. It is
seldom used as an esculent; though, in its young state, the flesh is
quite similar in flavor and texture to that of the scolloped varieties.
"If trained to a trellis, or when allowed to cover a dry, branching
tree, it is quite ornamental; and, in its ripened state, is quite
interesting, and attractive at public exhibitions." Increase of size
indicates mixture or deterioration.
"It has been generally supposed, that the Egg-squash was a native of
Astrachan, in Tartary. Dr. Loroche included it in a list of plants not
natives of Astrachan, but cultivated only in gardens where it is
associated with such exotics as Indian corn, or maize, with which it was
probably introduced directly or indirectly from America. We also learn
from Loroche that this species varied in form, being sometimes
pear-shaped; that it was sometimes variegated in color with green and
white, and the shell served instead of boxes. Here we have plainly
indicated the little gourd-like, hard-shelled, and variegated squashes
that are often cultivated as ornamental plants.
"From these and similar authorities, it is evident that summer squashes
were originally natives of America, where so many of them were found in
use by the Indians, when the country began to be settled by
Europeans."--_Dr. T. W. Harris, in Pennsylvania Farm Journal._
GREEN BUSH SCOLLOPED.
Pattison Vert. _Vil._
Fruit similar in size and form to the Yellow or White Bush Scolloped;
skin or shell bottle-green, marbled or clouded with shades of lighter
green. It is comparatively of poor quality, and is little cultivated.
GREEN-STRIPED BERGEN.
"Plant dwarf, but of strong and vigorous habit; fruit of small size,
bell-shaped; colors dark-green and white, striped.
"An early but not productive sort, little cultivated at the North or
East, but grown to a considerable extent for the New-York market. It is
eaten both while green and when fully ripe."
LARGE SUMMER WARTED CROOKNECK.
A large variety of the Bush or Dwarf Summer Crookneck. Plant twelve feet
and upwards in length, running; fruit of the form of the last named, but
of much greater proportions,--sometimes attaining a length of nearly two
feet; skin clear, bright yellow, and thickly covered with the prominent
wart-like excrescences peculiar to the varieties; flesh greenish-yellow,
and of coarser texture than that of the Dwarf Summer Crookneck. Hardy
and very productive. The hills should be made six feet apart.
ORANGE.
Cucurbita aurantiaca.
Fruit of the size, form, and color of an orange. Though generally
cultivated for ornament, and considered more curious than useful, "some
of them are the very best of the summer squashes for table use; far
superior to either the scolloped or warted varieties." When trained as
directed for the Egg-squash, it is equally showy and attractive.
VARIEGATED BUSH SCOLLOPED.
Pattison Panaché. _Vil._
Pale yellow, or nearly white, variegated with green. Very handsome, but
of inferior quality.
_Autumn and Winter Varieties._--
AUTUMNAL MARROW. _J. M. Ives._
Boston Marrow. Courge de l'Ohio. _Vil._
Plant twelve feet or more in length, moderately vigorous; fruit ovoid,
pointed at the extremities, eight or nine inches in length, and seven
inches in diameter; stem very large, fleshy, and contracted a little at
its junction with the fruit,--the summit, or blossom-end, often tipped
with a small nipple or wart-like excrescence; skin remarkably thin,
easily bruised or broken, cream-yellow at the time of ripening, but
changing to red after harvesting, or by remaining on the plants after
full maturity; flesh rich, salmon-yellow, remarkably dry, fine-grained,
and, in sweetness and excellence, surpassed by few varieties. The seeds
are large, thick, and pure white: the surface, in appearance and to the
touch, resembles glove-leather or dressed goat-skin. About one hundred
are contained in an ounce.
In favorable seasons, the Autumnal Marrow Squash will be sufficiently
grown for use early in August; and, if kept from cold and dampness, may
be preserved till March.
Mr. John M. Ives, of Salem, who was awarded a piece of silver plate by
the Massachusetts Horticultural Society for the introduction of this
valuable variety, has furnished the following statement relative to its
origin and dissemination:--
SALEM, MASS., Feb. 7, 1858.
DEAR SIR,--As requested, I forward you a few facts relative to the
introduction of the Autumnal Marrow Squash, the cultivation of
which has extended not only over our entire country, but throughout
Europe. It succeeds better in England than the Crooknecks; and may
be seen in great abundance every season at Covent-Garden Market, in
London.
Early in the spring of 1831, a friend of mine from Northampton, in
this State, brought to my grounds a specimen of this vegetable, of
five or six pounds' weight, which he called "Vegetable Marrow." As
it bore no resemblance to the true Vegetable Marrow, either in its
form or color, I planted the seeds, and was successful in raising
eight or ten specimens. Finding it a superior vegetable, with a
skin as thin as the inner envelope of an egg, and the flesh of fine
texture, and also that it was in eating early in the fall, I
ventured to call it "Autumnal Marrow Squash." Soon a drawing was
made, and forwarded, with a description, to the "Horticultural
Register" of Fessenden, and also to the "New-England Farmer."
In cultivating this vegetable, I found the fruit to average from
eight to nine pounds, particularly if grown on newly broken-up sod
or grass land. From its facility in hybridizing with the tribe of
pumpkins, I consider it to be, properly speaking, a fine-grained
pumpkin. The first indication of deterioration or mixture will be
manifested in the thickening of the skin, or by a green circle or
coloring of green at the blossom-end.
More recently, I have been informed, by the gentleman to whom I was
indebted for the first specimen, that the seeds came originally
from Buffalo, N.Y., where they were supposed to have been
introduced by a tribe of Indians, who were accustomed to visit that
city in the spring of the year. I have not been able to trace it
beyond this. It is, unquestionably, an accidental hybrid.
Yours truly,
JOHN M. IVES.
Mr. F. BURR, Jun.
CANADA CROOKNECK.
The plants of this variety are similar in habit to those of the Common
Winter Crookneck; but the foliage is smaller, and the growth less
luxuriant. In point of size, the Canada Crookneck is the smallest of its
class. When the variety is unmixed, the weight seldom exceeds five or
six pounds. It is sometimes bottle-formed; but the neck is generally
small, solid, and curved in the form of the Large Winter Crooknecks. The
seeds are contained at the blossom-end, which expands somewhat abruptly,
and is often slightly ribbed. Skin of moderate thickness, and easily
pierced by the nail; color, when fully ripened, cream-yellow, but, if
long kept, becoming duller and darker; flesh salmon-red, very
close-grained, dry, sweet, and fine-flavored; seeds comparatively small,
of a grayish or dull-white color, with a rough and uneven
yellowish-brown border; three hundred are contained in an ounce.
[Illustration]
The Canada is unquestionably the best of the Crooknecked sorts. The
vines are remarkably hardy and prolific; yielding almost a certain crop
both North and South. The variety ripens early; the plants suffer but
little from the depredations of bugs or worms; and the fruit, with
trifling care, may be preserved throughout the year. It is also quite
uniform in quality; being seldom of the coarse and stringy character so
common to other varieties of this class.
CASHEW.
Cushaw Pumpkin.
Somewhat of the form and color of the Common Winter Crookneck. Two
prominent varieties, however, occur. The first is nearly round; the
other curved, or of the shape of a hunter's horn. The latter is the most
desirable. It is not cultivated or generally known in New England or in
the northern portions of the United States; for though well suited to
Louisiana and other portions of the South, where it is much esteemed, it
is evidently too tender for cultivation where the seasons are
comparatively short and cool.
In an experimental trial by the late Dr. Harris, specimens raised from
seed received from New Jersey "did not ripen well, and many decayed
before half ripe."
The Crooknecks of New England "may be distinguished from the Cashew by
the want of a persistent style, and by their furrowed and club-shaped
fruit-stems."
COCOA-NUT SQUASH.
Cocoa Squash.
Fruit oval, elongated, sixteen to twenty inches in length, eight or ten
inches in diameter, and weighing from fifteen to twenty pounds and
upwards; skin thin, easily pierced or broken, of an ash-gray color,
spotted, and marked with light drab and nankeen-brown,--the furrows
dividing the ribs light drab; stem small; flesh deep orange-yellow, of
medium thickness; seeds pure white, broader in proportion to their
length than those of the Hubbard or Boston Marrow.
The quality of the Cocoa-nut Squash is extremely variable. Sometimes the
flesh is fine-grained, dry, sweet, and of a rich, nut-like flavor; but
well-developed and apparently well-matured specimens are often coarse,
fibrous, watery, and unfit for table use. The variety ripens in
September, and will keep till March or April.
CUSTARD SQUASH.
[Illustration]
Plant healthy and of vigorous habit, often twenty feet and upwards in
length; fruit oblong, gathered in deep folds or wrinkles at the stem,
near which it is the smallest, abruptly shortened at the opposite
extremity, prominently marked by large, rounded, lengthwise elevations,
and corresponding deep furrows, or depressions; skin, or shell,
cream-white; flesh pale-yellow, not remarkable for solidity, or fineness
of texture, but well flavored; the seeds are yellowish-white, and
readily distinguished from those of other varieties by their long and
narrow form. Under favorable conditions of soil and season, the Custard
Squash attains a large size; often measuring twenty inches and upwards
in length, eight or ten inches in diameter, and weighing from eighteen
to twenty-five pounds.
It is one of the hardiest and most productive of all varieties. Crops
are recorded of fourteen tons from an acre. It is esteemed by some for
pies; but, as a table squash, is inferior to most other sorts. Its great
yield makes it worthy the attention of agriculturists, as it would
doubtless prove a profitable variety to be cultivated for stock.
From the habit of the plant, the form and character of the fruit, and
its great hardiness and productiveness, it appears to be allied to the
Vegetable Marrow.
EGG-SHAPED, OR REEVES. _Thomp._
Fruit large, weighing from fifteen to twenty pounds; but in rich, highly
manured soil, and with only a few on each plant, it may be grown to
upwards of fifty pounds' weight. It is short, ovate, sometimes tapering
rather abruptly. Skin, or shell, hard, of a reddish color; flesh firm,
red, excellent in a ripe state cooked as a vegetable, or in any other
way in which squashes are prepared. The stems run to a very great
length, and bear all along most abundantly. Altogether, it is a sort
highly deserving of cultivation.
It was brought into notice by John Reeves, Esq.; who has contributed to
horticulture many valuable plants from China, where he resided for many
years.
Plant in hills eight feet apart, and thin to two plants to a hill.
HONOLULU.
Plant twelve feet or more in length, remarkably strong and vigorous;
leaves very large,--the leaf-stems often three feet and upwards in
length; fruit large, oblate, depressed about the stem, broadly, and
sometimes deeply, but in general faintly, ribbed; skin moderately thick,
but not shell-like, of an ash-green color, striped and variegated with
drab or lighter shades of green; flesh reddish-orange, very thick, of
good flavor, but less dry and sweet than that of the Hubbard or Boston
Marrow; seeds large, white.
This recently introduced variety is hardy, productive, a good keeper,
excellent for pies, and by some esteemed for table use.
Specimens frequently occur of a reddish cream-color, striped and marked
with drab or pale-yellow.
HUBBARD. _J. J. H. Gregory._
[Illustration: Hubbard Squash.]
Plant similar in character and appearance to that of the Autumnal
Marrow; fruit irregularly oval, sometimes ribbed, but often without
rib-markings, from eight to ten inches in length, seven or eight inches
in diameter, and weighing from seven to nine pounds,--some specimens
terminate quite obtusely, others taper sharply towards the extremities,
which are frequently bent or curved; skin, or shell, dense and hard,
nearly one-eighth of an inch thick, and overspread with numerous small
protuberances; stem fleshy, but not large; color variable, always rather
dull, and usually clay-blue or deep olive-green,--the upper surface, if
long exposed to the sun, assuming a brownish cast, and the under
surface, if deprived of light, becoming orange-yellow; flesh rich
salmon-yellow, thicker than that of the Autumnal Marrow, very
fine-grained, sweet, dry, and of most excellent flavor,--in this last
respect, resembling that of roasted or boiled chestnuts; seeds
white,--similar to those of the Autumnal Marrow. Season from September
to June; but the flesh is dryest and sweetest during autumn and the
early part of winter.
The Hubbard Squash should be grown in hills seven feet apart, and three
plants allowed to a hill. It is essential that the planting be made as
far as possible from similar varieties, as it mixes, or hybridizes,
readily with all of its kind. In point of productiveness, it is about
equal to the Autumnal Marrow. "The average yield from six acres was
nearly five tons of marketable squashes to the acre."
Mr. J. J. H. Gregory, of Marblehead, Mass., who introduced this variety
to notice, and through whose exertions it has become widely
disseminated, remarks in the "New-England Farmer" as follows:--
"Of its history I know next to nothing, farther than that the seed was
given to me by an aged female, about twelve years since, in remembrance
of whom I named it; and that the party from whom she received it cannot
tell from whence the seed came. I infer that it is of foreign origin,
partly from the fact that the gentleman to whom I traced it is a
resident of a seaport town, and is largely connected with those who
follow the seas."
ITALIAN VEGETABLE MARROW. _Thomp._
Courge Coucourzelle.
This forms a dwarf bush, with short, reclining stems, and upright
leaves, which are deeply five-lobed. The fruits are used when the
flowers are about to drop from their ends. They are then from four to
five inches long, and an inch and a half to two inches in diameter. When
ripe, the fruit is from fifteen to eighteen inches in length, and about
six inches in diameter. It is of a pale yellow, striped with green. It
should, however, be used in the young, green state; for, when mature, it
is not so good as many of the other sorts. It bears very abundantly;
and, as it does not run, may be grown in smaller compass than the true
Vegetable Marrow.
MAMMOTH.
Mammoth Pumpkin. Large Yellow Gourd, of the English. _Thomp._ Potiron
jaune, of the French. Cucurbita maxima.
This is the largest-fruited variety known. In a very rich compost, and
under favorable conditions of climate, it grows to an enormous size.
Fruit weighing a hundred and twenty pounds is not uncommon; and
instances, though exceptional, are recorded of weights ranging from two
hundred to nearly two hundred and fifty pounds.
The leaves are very large, and the stems thick, running along the ground
to the distance of twenty or thirty feet if not stopped, and readily
striking root at the joints.
The fruit is round, or oblate; sometimes flattened on the under side,
owing to its great weight; sometimes obtusely ribbed, yellowish, or pale
buff, and frequently covered to a considerable extent with a gray
netting. Flesh very deep yellow; seeds white.
It is used only in its full-grown or ripe state, in which it will keep
for several months; and even during the winter, if stored in a dry, warm
situation. The flesh is sweet, though generally coarse-grained and
watery. It is used in soups and stews, and also for pies; but is seldom
served like squash at the table.
NEAPOLITAN.
Courge pleine de Naples. _Vil._
Plant running; leaves small, smooth, striped and marked with white along
the nerves; fruit nearly two feet in length, and rather more than five
inches in its smallest diameter, bent at the middle, and broadly but
faintly ribbed,--it increases in size towards the extremities, but is
largest at the blossom-end, where it reaches a diameter of eight or ten
inches; skin bright green; stem small; flesh bright, clear yellow; the
neck is entirely solid, and the seed-end has an unusually small cavity;
seeds dull white.
The late Rev. A. R. Pope, in a communication to the Massachusetts
Horticultural Society, describes it as follows: "New, very heavy; having
a large, solid neck, and a small cavity for the seeds. Flesh sweet, dry,
and somewhat coarse, but not stringy. Very superior for pies, and a good
keeper."
PATAGONIAN.
A large, long Squash, prominently ribbed. It differs little in form or
size from the Custard. Skin very deep green; flesh pale yellow; seeds of
medium size, yellowish-white.
The plant is a vigorous grower, and the yield abundant; but its quality
is inferior, and the variety can hardly be considered worthy of
cultivation for table use. It may, however, prove a profitable sort for
growing for agricultural purposes.
PURITAN.
[Illustration: Puritan Squash.]
Plant running, ten feet and upwards in length; leaves clear green, of
medium size; fruit bottle-formed, fourteen or fifteen inches long, and
about ten inches in diameter at the broadest part; neck solid, four or
five inches in diameter; average weight eight to ten pounds; skin thin,
usually white or cream-white, striped and marked with green, though
specimens sometimes occur, from unmixed seed, uniformly green; flesh
pale yellow, dry, sweet, mild, and well flavored; seeds of medium size,
white. Season from August to January.
This variety, long common to gardens in the vicinity of the Old Colony,
retains its distinctive character to a very remarkable degree, even when
grown under the most unfavorable circumstances. Seeds, obtained from a
gardener who had cultivated the variety indiscriminately among numerous
summer and winter kinds for upwards of twenty years, produced specimens
uniformly true to the normal form color, and quality. It is hardy and
productive, good for table use, excellent for pies, and well deserving
of cultivation.
SWEET-POTATO SQUASH.
Plant very similar in character to that of the Hubbard or Autumnal
Marrow; fruit twelve or fourteen inches long, seven or eight inches
thick, sometimes ribbed, but usually without rib-markings; oblong,
tapering to the ends, which are often bent or curved in the manner of
some of the types of the Hubbard; stem of medium size, striated; skin
ash-green, with a smooth, polished surface; flesh salmon-yellow, thick,
fine-grained, dry, and sweet,--if the variety is pure, and the fruit
well matured, its quality approaches that of the Hubbard and Autumnal
Marrow; seeds white.
The variety is hardy and productive, keeps well, and is deserving of
cultivation. When grown in the vicinity of the last-named sorts, it
often becomes mixed, and rapidly degenerates. In its purity, it is
uniformly of one color; with perhaps the exception of the under surface,
which is sometimes paler or yellowish. It has been suggested that this
variety and the Hubbard may have originated under similar circumstances.
TURBAN.
Acorn. Giraumon Turban. Turk's-cap. Cucurbita piliformis.
Plant running; leaves small, soft, slightly lobed on the borders; fruit
rounded, flattened, expanding about the stem to a broad, plain,
brick-red surface, of ten or twelve inches in diameter. At the
blossom-end, the fruit suddenly contracts to an irregular, cone-like
point, or termination, of a greenish color, striped with white; and
thus, in form and color, somewhat resembles a turban: whence the name.
Flesh orange-yellow, thick, fine-grained, sugary, and well flavored;
seeds white, comparatively short, and small.
The Turban Squash is not early, and should have the advantage of the
whole season. "Its specific gravity is said to exceed that of any other
variety. Its keeping properties are not particularly good; but its
flavor, when grown on light, dry soil, will compare well with either
the Autumnal Marrow or the Hubbard." It mixes very readily when grown in
the vicinity of other varieties, is not an abundant bearer, and cannot
be recommended for general cultivation.
Dr. Harris states that "this variety--sometimes called the 'Acorn
Squash,' because, when the fruit is small, it resembles somewhat an
acorn in its cup--seems to be the _Cucurbita piliformis_ of Duchesne;"
and he further adds, that "it sometimes grows to a large size, measuring
fourteen or fifteen inches in transverse diameter, and looks like an
immense Turkish turban in shape. Specimens raised in my garden in 1851
were little more than ten inches in diameter, and weighed ten pounds or
more; having very thick and firm flesh, and but a small cavity within.
They proved excellent for table use,--equal in quality to the best
Autumnal Marrows. They keep quite as well as the latter."
VALPARAISO.
Porter's Valparaiso. Commodore Porter.
Plant running; leaves large, not lobed, but cut in rounded angles on the
borders; fruit oval, about sixteen inches in length, ten or eleven
inches in diameter, slightly ribbed, and largest at the blossom-end,
which often terminates in a wart-like excrescence; skin cream-white,
sometimes smooth and polished, but often more or less reticulated, or
netted; flesh comparatively thick, orange-yellow, generally dry, sweet,
and well flavored, but sometimes fibrous and watery; seeds rather large,
nankeen-yellow, smooth and glossy.
The variety requires the whole season for its perfection. It hybridizes
readily with the Autumnal Marrow and kindred sorts, and is kept pure
with considerable difficulty. It is in use from September to spring. The
variety, if obtained in its purity, will be found of comparative
excellence, and well deserving of cultivation. Stripes and clouds of
green upon the surface are infallible evidences of mixture and
deterioration.
The late Dr. Harris, in a communication to the "Pennsylvania Farm
Journal," remarks as follows: "The Valparaiso squashes (of which there
seem to be several varieties, known to cultivators by many different
names, some of them merely local in their application) belong to a
peculiar group of the genus _Cucurbita_, the distinguishing characters
of which have not been fully described by botanists. The word 'squash,'
as applied to these fruits, is a misnomer, as may be shown hereafter. It
would be well to drop it entirely, and to call the fruits of this group
'pompions,' 'pumpkins,' or 'potirons.' It is my belief, that they were
originally indigenous to the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the
western coast of America. They are extensively cultivated from Chili to
California, and also in the West Indies; whence enormous specimens are
sometimes brought to the Atlantic States. How much soever these
Valparaiso pumpkins may differ in form, size, color, and quality, they
all agree in certain peculiarities that are found in no other species or
varieties of _Cucurbita_. Their leaves are never deeply lobed like those
of other pumpkins and squashes, but are more or less five-angled, or
almost rounded and heart-shaped, at base: they are also softer than
those of other pumpkins and squashes. The summit, or blossom-end, of the
fruit has a nipple-like projection upon it, consisting of the permanent
fleshy style. The fruit-stalk is short, nearly cylindrical, never deeply
five-furrowed, but merely longitudinally striated or wrinkled, and never
clavated, or enlarged with projecting angles, next to the fruit. With
few exceptions, they contain four or five double rows of seeds. To this
group belong Mr. Ives's Autumnal Marrow Squash (or Pumpkin); Commodore
Porter's Valparaiso Squash (Pumpkin); the so-called Mammoth Pumpkin, or
_Cucurbita maxima_ of the botanists; the Turban or Acorn Squash;
_Cucurbita piliformis_ of Duchesne; the Cashew Pumpkin; Stetson's
Hybrid, called the 'Wilder Squash;' with various others."
VEGETABLE MARROW. _Thomp._
Succade Gourd. Courge à la moëlle, of the French.
Plant twelve feet and upwards in length; leaves deeply five-lobed; fruit
about nine inches long, and of an elliptic shape,--but it is sometimes
grown to twice that length, and of an oblong form; surface slightly
uneven, by irregular, longitudinal, obtuse ribs, which terminate in a
projecting apex at the extremity of the fruit. When mature, it is of a
uniform pale yellow or straw color. The skin, or shell, is very hard
when the fruit is perfectly ripened; flesh white, tender, and succulent,
even till the seeds are ripe. It may be used in every stage of its
growth. Some prefer it when the flower is still at the extremity of the
fruit; others like it older. When well ripened, it will keep well
throughout the winter, if stored in a perfectly dry place, out of the
reach of frost, and not exposed to great changes of temperature.
To have Vegetable Marrows large and fine for winter, the young fruit
should be regularly taken off for use; and, when the plant has acquired
strength, a moderate quantity should be allowed to set for maturity.
Sufficient for this purpose being reserved, the young fruit that may be
subsequently formed should be removed for use in a very young state. The
vines, or shoots, may be allowed to run along the surface of the ground;
or they may be trained against a wall, or on palings or trellises.
The seed should be planted at the same time and in the same manner as
those of the Winter Crookneck or Boston Marrow.
WILDER.
Stetson's Hybrid.
The Wilder Squash was produced about twelve years since, from the
Valparaiso and the Autumnal Marrow, by Mr. A. W. Stetson, of Braintree,
Mass.; and was named for the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, a gentleman
widely known for his patriotic devotion to the advancement of
agricultural and pomological science in the United States.
The plant is a strong grower, and resembles that of the Valparaiso. The
fruit is somewhat ovoid, but rather irregular in form, broadly and
faintly ribbed (sometimes, however, without rib-markings), and varies in
weight from twelve to thirty pounds and upwards; stem very large,
striated or reticulated, and often turned at right angles near its
connection with the fruit,--the opposite extremity terminates in the
wart-like excrescence peculiar to the class; skin reddish-yellow, not
unlike that of the Autumnal Marrow; the flesh is remarkably thick, of a
salmon-yellow color, sweet and well flavored. In some forms of cookery,
and especially for pies, it is esteemed equal, if not superior, to any
other variety. When served in the customary manner of serving squash at
table, it is inferior to the Hubbard or Autumnal Marrow. The seeds are
white.
WINTER CROOKNECK.
Cuckaw.
[Illustration: Winter Crookneck.]
This is one of the oldest and most familiar of the winter varieties.
Plant hardy and vigorous; fruit somewhat irregular in form, the neck
solid and nearly cylindrical, and the blossom-end more or less swollen.
In some specimens, the neck is nearly straight; in others, sweeping, or
circular; and sometimes the extremities nearly or quite approach each
other. Size very variable, being affected greatly both by soil and
season; the weight ranging from six pounds to forty pounds and upwards.
A specimen was raised by Capt. Josiah Lovett, of Beverly, Mass., and
exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, the weight of
which was nearly seventy pounds. Color sometimes green; but, when fully
mature, often cream-yellow. The color, like that of the Canada
Crookneck, frequently changes after being harvested. If green when
plucked, it gradually becomes paler; or, if yellow when taken from the
vines, it becomes, during the winter, of a reddish cream-color. Flesh
salmon-yellow, not uniform in texture or solidity, sometimes
close-grained, sweet, and fine flavored, and sometimes very coarse,
stringy, and nearly worthless for the table; seeds of medium size,
grayish-white, the border darker, or brownish. About two hundred are
contained in an ounce.
It is a very hardy and productive variety; ripens its crop with great
certainty; suffers less from the depredations of insects than most of
the winter sorts; and, if protected from cold and dampness during the
winter months, will keep the entire year.
WINTER STRIPED CROOKNECK.
This is a sub-variety of the common Winter Crookneck. Size large,--the
weight varying from six to twenty-five pounds; neck large and solid;
seed-end of medium size, and usually smooth; skin thin, very pale-green
or light cream-white, diversified with lengthwise stripes and plashes of
bright green,--the colors becoming gradually softer and paler after
gathering; flesh bright orange, and, like that of the common Winter
Crookneck, not uniform in texture or in flavor. Different specimens vary
greatly in these respects: some are tough and stringy, others very
fine-grained and well flavored. Seeds not distinguishable, in size,
form, or color, from those of the Winter Crookneck.
The variety is hardy, grows luxuriantly, is prolific, and keeps well. It
is more uniform in shape, and generally more symmetrical, than the
Winter Crookneck; though varieties occur of almost every form and color
between this and the last named.
As the plants require considerable space, the hills should not be less
than eight feet apart. Two or three plants are sufficient for a hill.
"The 'Crookneck Squash,' as it is commonly but incorrectly called, is a
kind of 'pumpkin,'--perhaps a genuine species; for it has preserved its
identity, to our certain knowledge, ever since the year 1686, when it
was described by Ray. Before the introduction of the Autumnal Marrow, it
was raised in large quantities for table use during the winter, in
preference to pumpkins, which it almost entirely superseded. Many
farmers now use it instead of pumpkins for cattle; the vine being more
productive, and the fruit containing much more nutriment in proportion
to its size. It varies considerably in form and color. The best kinds
are those which are very much curved,--nearly as large at the stem as at
the blossom-end,--and of a rich cream-color. It is said to degenerate in
the Middle and Southern States; where, probably, the Valparaiso or some
kindred variety may be better adapted to the climate."--_Dr. Harris._