222 OUR COMMON FKTJITS. 



that they afford nearly twice as much flesh, even when no 

 larger in size, besides being peculiarly rich in flavour. 

 Not needing such powerful sunshine as is required to 

 penetrate the thick hides of their pachyderm brethren, 

 they can be ripened much later than the latter. 



The plant which produces the Water Melon is of a 

 different species (Melos citrullus), and may be easily dis- 

 tinguished from the varieties of Melos cucurlita by its 

 deeply-cut leaves, while the fruit itself shows an equally 

 marked distinction in its smooth green surface. Round- 

 ish or oval in form, it is usually rather large sized, some- 

 times measuring 1^- ft. in length ; the flesh is white, shad- 

 ing into red or yellow towards the centre, and the seeds 

 are very dark brown or black. As it could not be raised 

 in this country except artificially by the aid of glass, and 

 Parkinson, who wrote in 1629, is the first English writer 

 on such subjects who gives directions for its culture by 

 means of hotbeds and bell-glasses, it is not supposed to 

 have been introduced very long before that time ; and in 

 a climate where heat rarely becomes very oppressive, its 

 watery insipidity has never been very highly appreciated ; 

 but though far inferior to other melons in flavour, it is 

 yet more prized in very sultry climates on account of its 

 abundant flow of deliciously cool juice, the central pulp 

 being, when ripe, almost in a fluid state. Identified with 

 the "melons" mentioned in Scripture, Water Melons 

 are said to have originated iu the Levant, but are found 

 abundantly (and are probably indigenous) in India and 

 China; and, requiring very little care or attention, im- 

 mense fields of them are raised annually in the warmer 

 States of America ; in Southern Europe they are both com- 

 mon and popular ; and in Africa, in the words of Hassel- 

 quist, " This fruit serves the Egyptians for meat, drink, 

 and physic. It is eaten in abundance during the season 

 even by the richer sort of people ; but the common people, 

 on whom Providence has bestowed nothing but poverty 

 and patience, scarcely eat anything but these during their 

 season, and are obliged to put up with worse fare at other 

 times." It is one particular and rather rarer kind, the 

 juice of which, when the fruit is full or almost over-ripe, 



