52 On the cultivation of the Lycios cdulis, 



but as this cannot safely be done before all danger of frosts 

 be past, it is usual to keep them in some cool place until the 

 pioper period for planting arrives, vvhicli with us is usually in 

 March. Very frequently, however, owing to their being 

 placed in rooms too warm, or the season being very mild, 

 these shoots grow to great length, and I have seen instances 

 when they exhausted the fruit, which became shrivelled, and 

 perished. This is, however, prevented by keeping them in 

 as cool a room as possible, merely excluding the frost. 



When the season for planting arrives, a hole is made, and 

 some well rotted manure being placed therein, the fruit is 

 placed entire, about three inches deep, merely leaving a small 

 portion of the vine out. During the first part of the season 

 the growth will be slow, but as the weather becomes warmer, 

 this becomes more rapid, and a beautiful and luxuriant vine is 

 produced, which will cover a very large arbor or trellis, pro- 

 ducing a dense shade. It does not, however, produce any 

 fruit, nor even a blossom, until the approach of cool weather. 

 In October, with us, the vines are covered with fruit, and 

 continue to bear until destroyed by frost. Twelve dozen 

 and upwards have been gathered from a single plant. 



I have already mentioned that it is perennial, and all that is 

 necessary in this climate, to preserve it, is to cover the roots 

 with manure. Treated in this way, I had one which grew in 

 the garden eight years, and was lost by the carelessness of the 

 old gardener. This, however, is considered of but little con- 

 sequence here, as they produce an abundance of fruit the first 

 year of their growth. The fruit is mostly used as a vegeta- 

 ble, and plain boiled, and eaten with butter, salt, and pepp.er; 

 it resembles tlie summer squash boih in appearance and flavor 

 so nearly as readily to be mistaken for that vegetable. It may 

 also be cooked in any of the modes in which the purple egg 

 plant is. The fruit is also used as a pickle, and highly esteem- 

 ed. Made into a preserve, it is said to closely resemble the 

 citron; I have never seen it in this state. The fruit, as I 

 have already intimated, keeps well and long; and if picked 

 whilst young, packed in sand, and placed in a cool place, they 

 may be used as a vegetable the whole winter. We have had 

 them on our table, without any of these precautions being 

 taken, several times a week, until late in December. 



I have thus given you all the information which will prove 

 jdvleresting to you, relative to this fruit; but should there be 



