Chap. 24.] GOURDS. 159 



Both cucumbers and gourds are sown in holes a foot and 

 a half 66 deep, between the vernal equinox and the summer sol- 

 stice, at the time of the Parilia OT more particularly. Some per- 

 sons, however, think it better to sow gourds after the calends 

 of March, 68 and cucumbers after the nones, 69 and at the time of 

 the Quinquatria. 70 The cucumber and the gourd climb up- 

 wards in a precisely similar manner, their shoots creeping along 

 the rough surface of the walls, even to the very roof, so great 

 is their fondness for elevated spots. They have not sufficient 

 strength, however, to support themselves without the aid of 

 stays. Shooting upwards with the greatest rapidity, they soon 

 cover with their light shade the arched roofs of the houses and 

 the trellises on which they are trained. From this circum- 

 stance it is that we find the gourd classified into two primary 

 kinds, the roof-gourd, 71 and the common gourd, which creeps 

 upon the ground. In the first kind, from a stalk of remark- 

 able thinness is suspended a fruit of considerable weight and 

 volume, arid quite immoveable by the action of the wind. The 

 gourd, too, as well as the cucumber, admits of being lengthened 

 to any extent, by the aid of osier tubes more particularly. Just 

 after the blossom has fallen off, the plant is introduced into 

 these tubes, and as it grows it can be made to assume any form 

 that may be wished, that of a serpent coiled up being the one 

 that is mostly preferred ; if left at liberty to grow as it hangs, 

 it has been known before now to attain to no less than 72 nine 

 feet in length. 



The cucumber flowers gradually, blossom succeeding blos- 

 som ; and it adapts itself perfectly well to a dry soil. It is 



66 This depth would probably have the effect of retarding, or else utterly 

 impeding, the growth of the plant. 



67 See c. 44 of this Book. The Parilia was a festival celebrated on the 

 nineteenth of April, the anniversary of the foundation of Rome. 



68 First of March. * 6 Seventh of March. 



70 See B. xviii. c. 56. 



71 The " camerarium," and the "pleheium." The former, Fee thinks, 

 is the Cucurbita longior of Dodonaeus and J. Bauhiii, the long gourd, and 

 other varieties probably of the calabash gourd, the Cucurbita leucantha of 

 Duchesne. The latter is probably the Cucurbita pepo and its varieties. 

 Fee thinks that the name " cucurbita," as employed by Pliny, extends 

 not only to the gourd, but the citrul or small pumpkin as well. 



72 As Fee says, he must be speaking of the fruit here, and not the 

 plant, which attains a far greater length than nine feet. 



