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and somewhat shrubby species of a large family that is the type of the 

 order Solanaceae. It is, as the specific name implies, a native of 

 Guatamala and other tropical parts of South America. The fruit /s the 

 size of a small Apple, globular, and in colour is yellow, splashed with 

 violet, its flavour has been described as a blending of Rock Melon and 

 Tomato, but, as with many other fruit?, a taste has to be acquired before 

 it is relished by most people. The fruit is used to a considerable extent 

 in its native regions, and is highly appreciated. Various other species of 

 Solanum produce fruits somewhat similar to that of the Melon Shrub, 

 and may be classed under the same heading. The principal of these are 

 as follows : Solanum jEtluopicum, a herbaceous species from tropical 

 Africa, with large, red, globular fruit ; Solatium ediite, a species from 

 Guinea, with yellow fruit the size of small Apples ; Solarium Gilo, a 

 species from tropical America, with round orange-coloured fruit ; Solanum 

 macrocarpum, a perennial herbaceous species indigenous to Mauritius and 

 Madagascar, with globular yellow fruit the size of small Apples ; Solanum 

 Q'litoense, a shrubby species indigenous to South America from Equador 

 to Peru. The fruit in size, shape, and colour is somewhat similar to a 

 small Orange, and has a rich fragrant flavour. Solan nm torvum, a 

 shrubby species indigenous to the West Indies and tropical America, has 

 medium-sized, yellow, round, well-flavoured fruit. Fruit of good quality 

 is also yielded by Solanum .Plnmiera, a West Indian species. Solanum 

 Topiro and Solanum sisymbrifolinm, the two latter from South America. 

 An Australian shrubby species, Solanum vescnm, called by the aboriginals 

 " Gunyang," yields an edible fruit, but must be fully ripe when eaten, or 

 otherwise it has deleterious properties. It is indigenous to South 

 Eastern Australia and Tasmania. 



CULTIVATION AND PROPAGATION. 



The Melon Shrub and kindred species of Solanum are worthy of 

 attention as fruit-yielding plants in localities suitable for their growth. 

 They may be also classed as useful ornamental border plants, the species 

 bearing flowers, either white or of different shades of blue, in profusion, 

 and in succession for long periods. The high-coloured fruit of some of 

 the species also adds to their value as ornamental plants. The species 

 named vary to some extent in hardiness, according to the countries they 

 come from, and, as a matter of course, those from tropical regions are 

 more tender than others. They are specially well adapted for the warm 

 and medium warm regions of Australia, where the Melon Shrub and 

 other shrubby kinds will thrive with little care. These plants may be 

 also grown successfully in the cooler parts of Australasia if treated in the 

 same way as the Egg Plant or Tomato, viz., placing them in the open 

 ground when all danger from frost has passed. Respecting the details of 

 cultivation and propagation, the same directions will apply in every 

 particular to those given in the article upon the Egg Plant in volume 1. 



MEXICAN BANANA. 



This name has been given, in Texas and California, to the fruit of 



