262 THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



they hinder each other by overrunning their 

 neighbors' territory. They must have the sun and 

 air. Then they bear tremendously, unless the 

 ground gets too dry, and the vines burn under 

 the combined heat of sun and winds. 



Unusual forms or cucumbers are grown for 

 curiosity. The snake or serpent species is more a 

 melon than a cucumber. It grows three or four 

 feet long, twisting its slender body in and out 

 among the foliage, and finally turning yellow as 

 it ripens. The oldest varieties were three-angled, 

 indicating the fact that the seeds are arranged 

 in long ridges, as we see when slicing any cu- 

 cumber crosswise. 



Lemon cucumbers are globular or slightly oval, 

 and about the size and color of a lemon. In flesh 

 and flavor they are very delicate. The California 

 gardener brings them to your door, and they grow 

 to perfection in gardens outside of New York City. 

 So they may be had by us in most any warm tem- 

 perate region. They lend a pleasant variety to 

 garden cucumbers, and, having so little green in 

 the skins, they lack the bitter taste that ordinary 

 cucumbers have. We must believe that they are 

 more digestible than the green ones. As a salad 

 vegetable this variety is especially welcomed by 

 all who are devoted to cucumbers, but must eat 



