The white is merely ornamental. The large purple is one of the greatest
luxuries of the vegetable garden. Plant seeds in hotbed at the time of
planting tomatoes or peppers. Set out in land made very rich with
stable-manure and decayed forest-leaves, two feet and a half apart each
way. Kept clean, and earthed up a little, and the bugs kept off while
the plants are small, they will produce an abundance of fruit. There are
two varieties of the purple--_large prickly-stem purple_, growing
sometimes eight inches in diameter; and the _long purple_, bearing
smaller, long fruit, but a large quantity, and considerably earlier than
the large. Many do not like them at first; but after tasting a few
times, almost all persons become very fond of them. If not properly
cooked, they are not at all palatable. Although it belongs to the
cook-book, yet, to save this excellent plant from condemnation, we give
a recipe for cooking it. It is fit for use from one third grown, until
the seeds begin to turn. Without paring, cut the fruit into slices one
third of an inch thick; put it in a little water with plenty of salt,
and let it stand over night, or six hours at least; take it out, and fry
very soft and brown in butter or fresh lard--if not fried soft and
brown, it is disagreeable. Salt, ashes, and bonedust, or superphosphate
of lime, are the best manures, as more than two thirds of the fruit is
made up of potash, soda, and phosphates, as shown by chemical analysis.