136 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



EGG-PLANT. 



SOLANUM MELONGENA. 



SOLANE.E. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA." 



The inhabitants of the British islands in the "West Indies call it 

 Brown-John, or Brown- Jolly. — French, mayenne ; aubergine ; berin- 

 gene ; verangeane ; plante a ceuf. — Italian, melanzana [mad apple] ; 

 uoYO Turco [Turkish egg]; petronciano; marignano. 



All the varieties of the Egg-plant are annual, and 

 must be raised in a hot-bed : they are cultivated chiefly 

 for their fruit, which is formed like an egg, and when 

 white, has exactly the appearance of one : it varies in size 

 from two to nine or ten inches in length ; and in colour, 

 from white to yellow, pale red, or purple. Here the fruit 

 is only regarded as a curiosity; but in the East Indies 

 they broil it, and eat it with salt and pepper ; or slice it, 

 pickle it for an hour or two, boil it tender, and eat it 

 as greens. The Turks, who are fond of it, call it Ba- 

 dinjan. 



It may be placed in the open air at the end of IVIay. 

 The fruit appears in July ; and then, when the weather is 

 dry, water should be given liberally every evening. 



ERINUS. 



KHINANTHACE.E. DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. 



French, I'erine; la mandeline. 

 The Alpine Erinus is a pretty little plant, producing 

 flowers of a lively purple, which are in bloom the greater 

 part of the summer ; appearing in April or JVIay. It is a 

 native of Germany, the Swiss Alps, the Pyrenees, and the 

 South of France. It must not be set in a rich soil : it 



