148 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Cucumis hirsutus, Sender. 



From Mozambique to Natal. A perennial plant, from which 

 perhaps a new race of Melon-like fruits may yet be derived, as the 

 berries, although small in the wild state, are according to Zeyher 

 acidulous and edible. Sir Joseph Hooker draws attention to the 

 great affinity of C. dipsacus (Ehrenberg) indigenous in tropical 

 Africa, to the cultivated Melon-plant. 



Cucumis Melo, Linn6.* 



The Melon-plant. Originally from the country about the Caspian 

 Sea, but some forms indigenous to India, northern and tropical Africa 

 and tropical Australia, if really all the forms united by Cogniaux are 

 con-specific. The best varieties might also be naturalised in sand- 

 deserts, particularly in places where some moisture collects. Melons 

 are marvellously prolific on the floating islands of some of the Asiatic 

 lakes. According to Mr. Clarson, Rock- and Green-Melons of 40 Ibs. 

 weight are obtained on the irrigated lands at Mildura, Murray-River. 

 In seasons of drought the Muscat-Melon, introduced by the author 

 into Central Australia, has borne fruit there more amply than any 

 other variety. Yilmorin kept seeds for more than ten years germin- 

 able. Some of the Bokhara-varieties are remarkably luscious and large. 

 Through artificial pollination the yield of melon-culture becomes con- 

 siderably increased. Apparently remunerative results have .been 

 gained in Belgium from experiments, to cultivate melons for sugar and 

 treacle. The seeds thus obtained in quantity become available for 

 oil-pressing. The root contains melonemetin. The Japanese C. 

 Conomon (Thunberg) belongs to this species. Prof. Naudin investi- 

 gated extensively the variability of this and allied plants. Some 

 varieties of melons and pumpkins ripen in Scandinavia during the 

 long warm days of the almost nightless summer there in the open air 

 far north ; all are annual. 



Cucumis Momordica, Roxburgh. 



Cultivated in India. It produces cucumbers 2 feet long, bursting 

 slowly when ripe into several divisions. Young, the fruit is used like 

 cucumbers, older like melons. Referred by Cogniaux to the varieties 

 of C. Melo. 



Cucumis sativus, Linne.* 



The Cucumber-plant. North- Western India. Cultivated in 

 Hungary already before historic ages [De Candolle]. Indicated 

 here merely for completeness sake, also because gherkin-pickling 

 ought to become a more extended local industry. Dr. G. King 

 brought under notice and Indian culture the Chinese Cucumber 

 " Solly-Qua," which attains a length of 7 feet. It must be trained 

 on walls or trellises, to afford to the fruit sufficient scope for suspen- 

 sion. A climbing variety is also cultivated in Japan ; its fruit is 

 large, always free from bitter taste, richly produced and when ripe 

 orange-coloured outside [F. Thiel]. It has in so far an advantage 



