THE PEPINO OR MELON SHRUB. 147 
a cool house, with no bottom heat. A lettuce house suits 
them well. In such temperature strong plants may be 
expected to yield two or three fruits to each cluster. 
History and description of the pepino.— This interest- 
ing plant is so little known that I append a somewhat 
full account of it :* 
Within the last few years a novelty has appeared in 
the seedsmen’s catalogues under the name of Pepino, 
Melon Pear, Melon Shrub, and Solanum Guatematlense. 
Its botanical affinities, as well as its horticultural merits, 
have been a perplexity. The plant is a strong-growing 
herb or half-shrub in this climate, becoming 2 or 3 feet 
high and as many broad. It has a clean and attractive 
foliage, comprised of long-lanceolate nearly smooth very 
dark green entire leaves. It is a profuse bloomer, the 
bright blue flowers reminding one of potato flowers. But 
one fruit commonly sets in each cluster, and as this grows 
the stem elongates until it reaches a length of from 4 to 
6 inches. The fruit itself is very handsome. As it ripens 
it assumes a warm yellow color, which is overlaid with 
streaks and veins of violet-purple. These fruits are some- 
what egg-shaped, conspicuously pointed, and vary from 
2% to 3% inches in length. The illustration, Fig. 48 
(page 148), shows an average specimen about two-thirds 
natural size. If the fruits are still green upon the ap- 
proach of frost, they may be placed in a cool dry room, 
where, in the course of two or three weeks, they will 
take on their handsome color. If carefully handled or 
wrapped in paper, the fruits will keep until midwinter or 
later. The fruit is pleasantly scented, and the flavor of 
it may be compared to that of a juicy, tender and some- 
what acid eggplant. It is eaten either raw or cooked. 
Upon the approach of winter we dig up some of the 
plants and remove them to the conservatory or forcing- 
house. As ornamental plants they will prove to be 
*From Bulletin 37 (Dec. 1891). Cornell Exp. Sta. (now out of print). 
It BORG. 
