Cucumis, MONOECIA SYNGENESIA. 721 
The fruit is much eaten both by natives and Europeans; 
when young they are a good substitute for the common cit- 
cumber, and when ripe (after bursting spontaneously,) with 
the addition of a little sugar they are little’ inferior to the 
melon, and reckoned very wholesome, , 
5. C. utilissimus, Roxb. 
Leaves five-lobed ; lobes rounded, and toothletted. Flow- 
ers axillary ; the male flowers crowded ; the female solitary. — 
Fruit short-oval, smooth, variegated, of the size of a small 
melon. 
Teling. Dosray. 
Beng. Kakri. : 
An annual, a native of the higher cultivated lands, but ge- 
nerally found in a cultivated state; the cold season is the 
most favourable. — 
Stems exactly as in C. sativus, but not quite so extensive, 
Tendrils simple. Leaves broad-cordate, generally more or 
less five-lobed; Jobes rounded, toothletted; above pretty 
smooth, below scabrous, the largest siaticeliy about six 
inches each way. Floral leaves of the female flowers sessile, 
and verysmal], Mae rLowers axillary, peduncled, crowd- 
ed, but opening in succession. FEMALE FLOWERS axil- 
lary, peduncled, solitary, both sorts yellow, about an inch 
or an inch and a half in diameter. Fruit fleshy, generally a 
very perfect oval; when young downy and clouded with 
lighter and darker green ; when ripe perfectly smooth, varie- 
gated with deeper and lighter yellow ; from four to six inches 
long, and from three to four in diameter. 
This appears to me to be by far the most useful species of 
Cucumis that f know ; when little more than one half grown, 
they are oblong, and a little downy, in this state they are 
pickled ; when ripe they are about as large as an ostrich’s 
egg, smooth and yellow ; when cut they have much the flavor 
of the melon and will keep good for several months, if 
seria socal without gob bruised and _ up; they 
VOL, Hl, — 7 1Mis chad 
