314 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



fortnight before Asparagus comes boiled in plenty of water. When 



in, and for some weeks after- tender, strain and serve simply* or 



wards. From a south border cut- upon toast. Some have melted 



ting generally commences early in butter with it, others eat it simply 



April, and continues until the end with the gravy and meat. In cul- 



of June. Some say they like it tivation, the Mercury, as it is called 



better than Asparagus. When pro- also, will grow anywhere ; but, to 



perly grown, the young shoots should have it in the best form, good cul- 



be almost as thick as the little tivation is necessary. To this end 



ringer, and in gathering it should you cannot have the ground too 



be cut under the ground some- deep nor too rich; plant as early 



thing the same as Asparagus. In in the spring as possible to get an 



preparing it for use, if the outer abundant yield of shoots, and to 



skin or bark have become tough, get them as strong as possible. In 



strip it off. from the bottom upwards, planting, put the rows 1 8 in. apart, 



and then wash and tie it up in and the plants i ft. apart in the row. 



bunches like Asparagus. It is best It is wild in some parts of England. 



GOURDS 



Cucurbita, L. Cucurbit acece. 



French, Courges. German, Speise-Kurbiss. Flemish and Dutch, Pompoen. Danish, 

 Groeskar. Italian, Zucca. Spanish, Calabaza. Portuguese, Abobora. 



The cultivation of Gourds dates from a very early period, and 

 few vegetables are more extensively grown. The almost innumer- 

 able varieties of them which are met with have long since induced 

 the conclusion that they could not all have possibly originated from 

 a single type, but to M. Charles Naudin belongs the credit of having 

 first thrown light upon the chaos of species and varieties, and of 

 having ascertained the origin and parentage of the different forms, 

 all of which he refers to three very distinct species, viz. Cucurbita 

 maxima, Duch., C. moschata, Duch., and C. Pepo, L. We shall 

 describe in succession the varieties which have sprung from each of 

 these different botanical types, following the classification of 

 M. Naudin, and we may remark that we do not know any form 

 of Gourd that should necessarily be considered a hybrid between 

 any two of these species. Although the various forms of cultivated 

 Gourds have, as we have just observed, originated from plants 

 which differ in their botanical characteristics and also in their 

 native habitats, they nevertheless, in their mode of growth and in 

 their fruit, exhibit a striking resemblance, from which it is easy to 

 understand how it was that they were for a long time supposed to 

 be mere varieties of a single species. They are all annual climbing 

 plants, furnished with tendrils ; their stems are perfectly herbaceous, 

 very long, pliant, and tough, angular and rough ; the leaves are 

 broad, with hollow stalks, and roundish or kidney-shaped lobes 



