HORTICULTURE. 333 



that some of their squashes were "of the bigness of apples, of several colors," while others 

 are represented by Champlain as being considerably larger, turbinated, and more or less 

 puckered on the margin, and of the same form as that which in France is called Bonnet de 

 pritre, probably the prototype of our scalloped squash, or Cucurbita melopepo. Bartram 

 found a squash-vine growing wild in the interior of East Florida, climbing to the tops of the 

 trees, and bearing little yellow squashes of the form and size of an orange. Mr. Nuttall 

 informs us that the warted squash, Cucurbita verrucosa, was "cultivated by the Indians of 

 the Missouri to its sources." It has generally been supposed, on the authority of Linnaeus, 

 that the egg-squash, Cucurbita ovifera, was a native of Artrachan in Tartary. On turning 

 to the account of it given by Dr. Lorche, from whom Linnseus received his specimens, I find 

 it included in a list of plants not natives of the vicinity 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 Lorche 

 that this species varied in form, being sometimes pear-shaped; that it was sometimes varie- 

 gated in color with green and white; and that the shell served instead of little 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, we con- 

 clude 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. 



The summer squashes, like the plants belonging to the second group, have acutely five- 

 lobed, rough leaves, and large yellow flowers, a clavated five-angled and five- furrowed fruit- 

 stem, and a deciduous stile. Their seeds also resemble those of common pumpkins and 

 winter squashes, but are smaller and thinner ; some of them are runners and climbers, others 

 have a dwarf erect habit, and hence are sometimes called "bush squashes." They differ 

 from all the foregoing kinds in having, when ripe, a hard and woody rind or shell to the 

 fruit, with a slimy and fibrous pulp, which, when dry, become a mere stringy and spongy 

 mass. Hence these fruits are only eaten while they still remain tender and succulent, and 

 never in a ripe state. On account of their woody shells, they are sometimes mistaken for 

 and miscalled gourds, from which they are not only distinguished by their oval and thin 

 seeds, but by the largeness and yellow color of their flowers, — those of gourds being smaller 

 and white, — and by their deeply-lobed and rough leaves, those of gourds being entire, or at 

 most only slightly angular and downy. 



Under the name of Cucurbita melopepo is to be included what in New England is called 

 scalloped squash, and in the Middle and Southern States, cymlings ; perhaps the patty-pan 

 squash is another synonym for the same. This melopepo is a very broad and thin or com- 

 pressed fruit, with scallop edges, and more or less warted surface ; it measures often ten or 

 eleven inches in transverse diameter, and three to four from stem to blossom. It varies in 

 form, being sometimes much thicker, and more or less turbinated or top-shaped, when it 

 takes the name of Bonnet de pretre, or priest's cap ; perhaps this is really its original form. 

 Other varieties, nearly round, are sometimes seen. 



The Cucurbita verrucosa is the cucumber-shaped warted squash, generally with a slightly- 

 curved neck. In the West Indies there is a much larger, oblong, ovoid squash, with a some- 

 what warted surface, which is also referred to the Cucurbita verrucosa. Intermediate 

 between these, there is another, which may be described as pestle-shaped, measuring ten 

 inches or more in length, and quite smooth on the surface. These two kinds, namely the 

 Cucurbita melopepo and C. verrucosa, with all their varieties, are generally of a dwarf habit, 

 with erect stems. 



Cucurbita ovifera, with its varieties auriantiaca, the orange or apple squash, and the piri- 

 formis, or pear-shaped and variegated squashes, has a running or climbing stem. Some of 

 the orange squashes are the very best of the summer squashes for table use, far superior 

 either to the scalloped or warted^quashes. 



The vegetable marrow, as it is called in England, has been considered by botanists as a 

 variety of the Cucurbita ovifera of Linnseus ; if this be correct, cultivation has forced it to 

 a most unnatural size, and has greatly changed its original form. 



