326 AGRICULTURE ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE 



Gourds of various kinds are often seen in gardens, where 

 the long-necked kind is often grown for use as dippers or 

 bottles. After they are quite ripe the inside is taken out, 

 leaving the hard shell. The flesh of gourds is very bitter, 

 so the shell must be soaked for some time to take out the 

 bitterness before being used for cups or bottles. 



Squashes, pumpkins, gourds, and melons all have two 

 kinds of flowers. Some (the pistillate) have a little bulb 

 below, that afterwards becomes the fruit. Others (the 

 staminate) have only stamens and pollen, and form no fruit 

 (see page 92). 



SWEET GARDEN FRUITS 



Of the sweet table-fruits commonly grown in gardens, 

 the small or berry fruits strawberries, raspberries, 

 and blackberries are the chief ones ; also melons, and 

 though not very sweet, currants, and less commonly, 

 gooseberries. 



Strawberries. Strawberries are found wild in Europe and 

 Asia, as well as in America. The Old World strawberry is 

 of course the one longest in cultivation. Then the Virginia 

 strawberry w r as found in eastern North America; and 

 finally the Chilian strawberry was found on the Pacific 

 Coast, in California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as 

 in Chile. In cultivation these three kinds have now become 

 so mixed that it is hard to say from which of the wild ances- 

 tors the best of the cultivated kinds have come. They have 

 been increased enormously in size and productiveness. But 

 the large cultivated berries rarely are as sweet and high- 

 flavored as the wild -berries when well ripened. The cul- 



