202 



CUCURBITACEvE. 



lethargic complaints. On account of its powerful 

 effects, it requires to be administered with great 

 caution. It acts chiefly on the lower part of the 

 intestinal canal, and in large doses is apt to produce 

 violent griping, and even inflammation. It has in 

 some instances proved fatal, by causing severe vomit- 

 ing and purging. 



Colocynth is sometimes prescribed in substance in 

 doses of five or six grains mixed with mucilaginous 

 or farinaceous matter ; but it is more commonly admi- 

 nistered in the form of extract made into pills. It is 

 sometimes combined with camphor and hyoscyamus, 

 which tend to moderate its griping effects. The 

 watery decoction or infusion is said to be milder than 

 either the powder or extract, but its extreme bitter- 

 ness prevents its general use. The compound colo- 

 cynth pills, which are often sold under the name of 

 Dr. Gregory's pills, are composed of the pulp of 

 colocynth, aloes, scammony, oil of cloves, and sulphate 

 of potass. 



According to Thunberg, the fruit of the colocynth 

 is rendered so perfectly mild at the Cape of Good 

 Hope, by being properly pickled, that it is eaten both 

 by natives and colonists. The seeds of the plant are 

 bland and nutritious, and constitute an important 

 article of food in northern Africa. 



Cucumis citrullus formerly Cucurbita citrullus, the 

 citrul, is a native of the south of Europe, and grows 

 also in Africa and India. It is called Lanianka by 

 the Indians. Two varieties of this plant are men- 

 tioned, the Pasteque and the Water melon. In the 

 former the flesh or pulp is firm, while in the latter it 

 is watery and of a reddish colour. 



The water melon is a smooth globular fruit with a 

 green exterior. It is cooling and refreshing, and is 

 frequently produced at table in summer. It is much 

 cultivated in the warm countries of Europe. In 

 Provence the fruit is highly prized, and in India it is 

 in great request during the hot season. In Egypt it 

 is used to quench thirst, and to allay febrile excite- 

 ment. The seeds are sown at the end of February 

 in hotbeds, and the plants are afterwards removed to 

 fruiting beds, and treated like cucumbers and common 

 melons. 



Cucumi anguria, round prickly cucumber, is a 

 native of the West Indies, and forms an ingredient in 

 soups. Besides this there are several other species 

 of cucumis, which are cultivated in a similar manner 

 for domestic use. They are not so important as 

 those already noticed, and it is unnecessary to dwell 

 upon them. 



We shall therefore proceed to another genus, 

 Cucurbita or gourd, whence the name of the order is 

 derived. 



Cucurbita Pepo or Pepo macrocarpm, the pompion 

 or pumpkin, is originally from India, but is at present 

 cultivated in most parts of Europe. It is one of the 

 plants which acquires in the course of a single season 

 dimensions of no ordinary kind. The stem, which is 

 herbaceous, cylindrical, and hollow, sometimes attains 

 a length of thirty or forty feet, and covers one-eighth 

 of an acre. Its flowers are large, axillary, and of a 

 fine yellow colour. The fruit is red, anil acquires 

 sometimes a diameter of two feet. There are two 

 varieties of the plant, one with roundish, the other 

 with oblong fruit. Its flesh is firm and has an agree- 

 able taste ; it is refreshing and slightly laxative, but 

 is not used in medicine. 



In England the pumpkin is occasionally planted 



by country people on dunghills beside their cottages, 

 and the fruit, when ripe, is hollowed out and stuffed 

 with sliced apples, sugar, and spices, so as to form, 

 when baked, what is called pumpkin pie. On the 

 continent, both the unripe and ripe fruit is used in 

 soups, and is fried in oil or butter. The tender tops 

 of this and other species are boiled as greens. The 

 seeds are employed in the same way as those of the 

 cucumber and melon. 



Cucurbita melopcpo, melon pumpkin or squash, is 

 another species of the genus which is cultivated in 

 America as a culinary vegetable. It yields a large 

 reddish yellow fruit. A variety of C. ovifera, called 

 succade or vegetable marrow, is frequently cultivated 

 for domestic use. It bears an oblong pale yellow 

 fruit, which is either fried with butter or boiled and 

 made into pies. 



Cucurbita lagenaria, or more properly Lagcnaria 

 vulgaris, common calabash or bottle gourd, is found 

 within the tropics, particularly in India, and yields 

 an edible yellow fruit, having a whitish pulp. This 

 fruit is sometimes six feet long and eighteen inches in 

 circumference, and is called by the Arabians Ckarrah, 

 There are several varieties of the plant, such as the 

 common gourd, the depressed and the turbinated 

 bottle gourd, the congourde, and the trumpet gourd. 

 The name of bottle gourd is given to it on account 

 of the shape of the fruit, and the use to which it is 

 applied. In Jamaica and other warm countries, the 

 dried outer coat or rind serves the purpose of water 

 cups or bottles. The fruit is not often employed as 

 an article of food, although it is tolerably good after 

 being well cooked. The pulp is sometimes applied 

 as a poultice, and the seeds are put to the same use 

 as those of the genus Cucumis. 



Gourds and calabashes are propagated by sowing 

 their seeds in hotbeds in the month of April, after- 

 wards transplanting them into beds with a moderate 

 heat and plenty of moisture, and finally putting them 

 on a dunghill and allowing them room to spread. 



The genus Momordica is the next to which we shall 

 turn our attention. 



Mormordica elaterium, wild cucumber, is a peren- 

 nial plant found native in the south of Europe. It 

 has been cultivated successfully in this country, but 

 does not survive the winter. The fruit is oblong, 

 about an inch and a half long, and an inch in thick- 

 ness. It has a green colour, and is covered with 

 thick rough hairs. When ripe, a slight touch sepa- 

 rates it from the stalk, and the seeds and juice are 

 scattered in all directions and with great force through 

 the hole in the base where the footstalk was inserted. 

 Hence the name squirting or spurting cucumber which 

 has been given to the plant. The cause of this pecu- 

 liarity in the opening of the seed vessel has not yet 

 been fully ascertained, although many theories have 

 been hazarded in regard to it. The seeds when fully 

 ripe have a black colour, and are surrounded by a 

 fluid from which the substance known in medicine by 

 the name of Elaterium is produced. This drug is the 

 fecula which subsides from the juice after the watery 

 part is evaporated. In order to obtain it, the fruit is 

 collected in the month of September before it is ripe, 

 and is cut longitudinally, so as to allow the clear fluid 

 to run out without pressure. By standing the liquid 

 soon becomes turbid and deposits the elaterium, which 

 is collected and dried without exposure to light. 



When pure, elaterium should be in the form of thin 

 cakes, of a light green colour, without any odour, and 



