RECENT CHINESE VEGETABLES. 193 



rank and hairy musknielon vine. The fruit is round or oblong, 

 with a solid white flesh and small white seeds. The exterior is 

 greenish and hairy, and covered with a film of white wax-like 

 substance (whence the name cerifera or wax-bearing). It ordin- 

 arily reaches a length of ten to fifteen inches. In the books, the 

 fruit is known as the wax gourd. In India, according to Fir- 

 minger,* it is called pumpkin and white gourd by Europeans. 

 The culture is similar to that of the muskmelon. I do not know 

 how the Chinese use this fruit. Vilmorinf writes that the fruits 

 are eaten the same as squashes, and that the character of the 

 flesh is intermediate between that of the squash and cucumber. 

 Paillieux and Bois;|; say that it is " prepared hke the cucumber, 

 to which, to our taste it is much preferable." I have been una- 

 ble to relish the fruit when uncooked, biit made into preserves or 

 sweet pickles it is one of the best of all subjects for the purpose, 

 and it is worthy general cultivation for such culinary use. 



La-kzca. {Momordica Chamutia.) Plate II. 



This plant is well known as a condiment and ingredient of 

 curries and other table preparations, in the tropics, especially of 

 the Old World, where it is native. It is also grown as an orna- 

 mental vine, and for this purpose is sold by American seed.smen, 

 along with the allied species, Momordica Bahamina or Balsam 

 Apple. The plant is a vine, reaching a length of ten feet, and 

 often covering the ground with a mat of attractive herbage and 

 yellow, soft flowers. The leaves are cordate-ovate in general out- 

 line, but are cut into five more or less toothed lobes. The fruit 

 in the common form is oblong, six or seven inches long and cov- 

 ered with wart-like tubercles. This fruit is borne upon a slender 

 stem of its own length, or more, and which bears a small leaf-like 

 appendage at some distance back of the fruit. This appendage 

 is entire or continuous in outline in this species, but in the true 

 Balsam Apple (J/. Balsamina) it is distinctly toothed. The fruit 

 of the La-kwa splits into three divisions at maturity, disclosing 

 many rounded, bright scarlet bodies. The.se bodies are edible, 



* Manual of Gardening for India, 3d ed. 126. 

 tLes Plantes Potagercs, 2nd. ed. 37. 

 JLe Potager d'un Curieux, 2ud. ed. 44. 



