58 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



the original introducer of the cattle melon. Here, again, were samples of all sizes, 

 many of them gorgeously coloured, and not only curious, but wonderful in outline. 

 In each of tliese instances the seeds had been supplied by Messrs. Barr and Sugden 

 in the regular way of trade, a fact which affords some idea of the popularity gourds 

 have acquired among amateur cultivators. Many persons who see these collec- 

 tions, and who know that to grow them is scarcely more difficult than to grow a 

 hunch of turnips, are nevertheless deterred from engaging in so profitable and 

 amusing an undertaking by the general fear of poison whicii prevails. There is no 

 proper ground fur any such fear ; nearly all the ornamental gourds in cultivation 

 are edible, and if ever a Question should arise, tl)e flavour of the gourd will determine 

 it in an instant. All pernicious examples of cucumis h".ve an obnoxious taste, and 

 the quality of a gourd may be ascertained without cutting it, by merely taking a 

 small slice from the stalk and masticating it. If that is nauseously bitter, it would 

 not be wise to eat tlie gourd. But even this te^t is unnecessary, because poisonous 

 gourds are too disgusting in flavour for any human being to swallow enough to do 

 injury. As to the use of gourds, it is well known that any of them may be boiled 

 when young in the same way as the common vegetable-marrow, and make a most 

 acceptable accompaniment to roast meat. The common pumpkin of the cottage 

 gardens, cut when as large as a good-sized turnip and boiled, is quite equal to the 

 best of the marrows. But it is not so well known that the green tops nipped off the 

 vines (three inches long at the utmost) make the most elegant and delicious dish of 

 greens ever cooked. People grow spinach beet, which never cooks a good colour, 

 because during very hot weather spinach is always stringy and seedy. It would be 

 much better to plant out a few common pumpkins on purpose to supply green tops, 

 for when kept nipped they throw out new shoots abundantly, and pay as well for 

 greens as for fruit, but no one should expect both in large quantity. If the seeds 

 are sown in the open ground on small hillocks on the 1st of May, a good crop of 

 eitlier fruit or tops may be expected ; in fact, all the gourds may be grown by this 

 simple metliod. But it is much better to sow on a gentle hot-bed about the 10th of 

 March, and get all the plants potted in good time, and plant out early in May on 

 beds prepared for the purpose, and raised a little above the general level, both to 

 catch the earliest rays of the sun, and to throw oft" excess of water during heavy 

 rains. 



THE GARDEN GUIDE FOR FEBRUARY. 



Flowkk.s of the Month. — Greenhouse : Azaleas, various Camellias, Tree Car- 

 nations, Cinerarias, Primulas, Cyclamens, Hovea .'^plcndens, Acacia unciata, A. 

 grandis, A. floribunda, A. holosericea, A. Drummondii, Brachysema lanceolatum, 

 B. hybridum, B. undulatum, Cytisus filipes, C. proliferous, C. Atleeana, C. 

 racemosus, Dielytra speciahilis, Epacris impressa, Pelayxpniums Gauntlet, Crim- 

 son King, Desdemona, Alba multitlora, Blanchefleur, James Odier, and others. 

 — Garden : Eranthis hyemalis, Tussilago farfara, T. fragrans, Hepatica triloba, 

 Xeoritodon taraxacum (lovely now, though a " weed" by and by), Catha palustris, 

 Primula vulgaris in variety, Euscus aculeatus, Cheiranthus alpinus, Sanguinaria 

 canadensis, Arabis albida, Draba cuspidata, Scilla bifolia, Galantlms nivalis, Pul- 

 monaria officinalis, Vinca minor, Saxifraga crasslfolia, Viola odorata, Eranthis 

 Siberica, Iberis sempervirens. — Frame: Snowdrops, Squills, Hyacinths, Tulips, 

 Crocuses, Helleborus niger, Cyclamen coum, Ornithogalumfimbriatum, Bellis peren- 

 nis, various ; Coronilla emerus. — JSricas : Petiveriana, blanda, vernalis, melastoraa, 

 transparcns, exsuigens, bicolor, coccinea, echiiflora, imbecllla, LiimKana, elegans, 

 prtestans, physodes, sebana, Piunkenetiana, gracilis, poziza, assurgens, versicolor, 

 bandoniana, grandinosa, pellucida, pin^a, ladiata, triumphans, viridescens, Caven- 

 dishiana. — Orchids : Epidendrum vitellinum, Grammatophyllum EUisii, G. speciosum, 

 Lselia elegans, L. Maryanii, L. superbiens, Lycaste Deppii, Skinneri delicatissima, 

 Miltouia cuneata, Odontoglossum maculatum, 0. raembranaceum, 0. pulchellutn, 0. 

 triumphans, Dendrobium uioniliforme, D. nobile intermedium, D. nobile pendulum, 

 Oncidium Barkerii, 0. Cavendishii, Phajus grandillorus, Schomburgkia crispa, S. 

 undulata, Sophrouites cernua, S. granditlora, Ctelogyne cristata, Brassavola glauca, 

 Cattleya Walkeriana, Ansellia Africana, A. gigantea. 



