farmers' gardens. 357 



First. Those witli lobed leaves, and clavated or club-gbaped fuiTowed stems, 

 including all of what are known as field pumpkins, the Summer Crookueck, and 

 scolloped squashes, the egg squash, orange squash, and others. 



Second. Those with entire leave© and an irregular fleshy stem, includiuf 

 the Hubbard, Boston Marrow, Honolulu, Porter, Turban, Mammoth, and others. 



Third. Those with entire leaves, and a clavated or a club-shaped stem, as 

 the Winter Crookneck, Canada Crookueck, Striped Crookueck, Cashaw, and a 

 somewhat oblate striped variety, imported from the West Indies, and seen in 

 considerable quantities in our city markets in April, 3Iay, and June. 



These classes will not ordinarihj be affected by cultivation in the vicinity of 

 each other, though the individuals composing a class mix with great facility. 

 For instance, the Canada Crookneck may be grown with the common field 

 pumpkin, or with the Hubbard, or Boston Marrow, and will generally retain 

 its purity, neither affecting or being afiected by the neighboring plants ; and 

 on the other hand, the common field pumpkin, or the common varieties of 

 Mammoth squashes may be grown with the Hubbard, Marrow, or Crookneck 

 with equal security. But the members of each class must be cultivated apart 

 from each other, as the pumpkin mixes readily with all the varieties of summer 

 squashes ; the Hubbard with the ]\Iarrow and Valparaiso, and vice iiersa ; and 

 the Canada Crookneck with the Winter Crookneck, and the variety from the 

 V»''est Indies, &:c., &:c. 



The muskmelon and the watermelon, being botanically quite distinct, are not 

 regarded as being liable to intermixture when grown in close proximity ; but so 

 liable are the varieties of the muskmelon to change and degenerate, that of the 

 almost numberless kinds Avhich have from time to time been introduced, scarce 

 a dozen could now be found that in size, form, color, and quality will compare 

 with the original ; and the same is true with regard to varieties of the watermelon. 

 The celebrated kinds so recently introduced by the late Dr. Brinckle, of Phila- 

 delphia, seem already to be disappearing, either by being gradually absorbed 

 in varieties previously cultivated, or becoming merged in each other. Of the 

 cucumber, every year adds to the long catalogue of sorts. Very recently a 

 liundred and eighteen sub-varieties of what is known as the " London Long 

 Green " have been experimentally cultivated at the Chiswick Gardens, in 

 England, not ten per cent, of which, judging from the past, may be expected 

 to continue long in cultivation, or even to be known in a pure state twenty 

 years to come. The kinds commonly found in the gardens of this country are 

 few in number, and readily intermix when grown near each other. Seedsmen 

 obtain the best seed possible of any genuine sort and cultivate by the acre for 

 the seed only, aud by this eourse retain a variety in a tolerable state of purity. 

 In ordinary gardens, where a few are grown for the table, (the early frame, 

 white-spiued, and long Turkey cucumbers being perhaps planted promiscuously 

 together,) the seeds, so fiir as respects the reproduction of the parent stock, 

 must be considered comparatively Avorthlcss. 



The Lima bean is greatly injured by being grown in close proximity to the 

 Sieva, to which it is botanically allied. The seeds decrease in size, and the 

 plant itself seems to degenerate. Some varieties of the bean seem very perma- 

 nent in character; for instance, the round yellow six-weeks and the running 

 cranberry, both of which have been common to our gardens for more than a 

 century, and which have slightly, if at all, changed since their introduction ; 

 while the horticultural, dwarf horticultural, dwarf red cranberry, and many 

 others, are peculiarly liable to intermix and degenerate. If a farmer or gardener 

 raise his seeds of this vegetable for planting, the best course is to sow the varie- 

 ties apart from each other ; but if he is annually dependent on the seedsman for 

 his supply, the method of cultivation is less important, and the dwarf's or run- 

 ning sorts maybe planted about his grounds as taste or convenience may suggest. 



