For March, 1923 



61 



The Gourd, the Most Attractive Annual Climbing Vine 



DR. E. BADE 



OF all the annual climbing vines, the gourds are the 

 most attractive. They are able to cover large sur- 

 faces during the Summer, especially when they are 

 placed in a good fertile soil. These quick growing plants 

 which require absolutely no care, should be sown in May. 

 The spot chosen for their growth should be sunnv, for 



" Xcstcgg" and fJozciT 



light, heat, and moisture spurs them on to develop in all 

 their luxuriance. Their large beautiful flowers are open 

 from twilight until about 9 o'clock in the morning and 

 are also open on cloudy and cool days. The flowers of 

 the bottle-shaped gourd and of Luff a are snow white, those 

 of the other gourds are yellowish ; they are somewhat 

 similar, but much larger, than those of the cucumber. 



Two interesting relatives of the gourds are Ecballium 

 elaterium, and Momordia balsamina. The former is an 

 inhabitant of southern Europe, where it is a common 

 weed. This plant is ]3eculiar in its fruit, which is about 



Dipper (Lagenaria) 



as long and as thick as the thumb. It falls from the vine 

 at the touch, and, at the same time, the liquid within, 

 which is kept under high pressure, is squirted out 

 violently, together with the seeds. When cultivated, the 

 seeds should be sown in the open in the month of April. 

 Momordia balsamina and similar cucumber-like goui^ 

 '(M. charantia) whose leaves are heart-shaped and entire. 



are sown on sunny beds in the month of Alay. Only the 

 fruit of these plants is beautiful, since, when ripe, they 

 open and show their bright red meat in which the seeds 

 are imljedded. Only at this time are these plants attrac- 

 tive. 



But the true gourds are a thing of beautv at all times. 



Dishcloth (Liitfaj 



Their quick growth and the profusion of flowers make 

 them doubly attractive. The male flowers make their ap- 

 pearance first. During July the female flowers begin to 

 open and which, after insect fertilization, soon develop 

 into fruit. The profusion and variety of the fruits may 

 be traced back to degenerate forms. Many of their char- 

 acteristics are, indeed, peculiar. In form they may re- 

 semble apples, pears, eggs, melons, oranges, bottles, or 

 clubs, among which the rarer wart-gourd must not be 

 forgotten. The color ranges anywhere from a pure white 

 to a deep orange or from a bright yellow to a dark green. 



The rind may be smooth, fluted, or warted. and have two 

 or more colors so arranged as to give a picturesque eiifect. 

 Beautiful ornamental knick-knacks can be made from 

 the fruit with little labor. The gourd, when ripe, has a 

 wood-like rind which is hard and capable of withstanding 

 quite some pressure. First an opening must be made large 

 [Continued on page 68) 



