THE PEPINO OR MELON SHRUB. 147 



a cool house, with no bottom heat. A lettuce house suits 

 them well. In such temperature strong plants may be 

 expected to yield two or three fruits to each cluster. 



History and description of the pepino. This interest- 

 ing plant is so little known that I append a somewhat 

 full account of it :* 



Within the last few years a novelty has appeared in 

 the seedsmen's catalogues under the name of Pepino, 

 Melon Pear, Melon Shrub, and Solatium Guatemalense. 

 Its botanical affinities, as well as its horticultural merits, 

 have been a perplexity. The plant is a strong-growing 

 herb or half-shrub in this climate, becoming 2 or 3 feet 

 high and as many broad. It has a clean and attractive 

 foliage, comprised of long-lanceolate nearly smooth very 

 dark green entire leaves. It is a profuse bloomer, the 

 bright blue flowers reminding one of potato flowers. But 

 cue fruit commonly sets in each cluster, and as this grows 

 the stem elongates until it reaches a length of from 4 to 

 6 inches. The fruit itself is very handsome. As it ripens 

 it assumes a warm yellow color, which is overlaid with 

 streaks and veins of violet-purple. These fruits are some- 

 what egg-shaped, conspicuously pointed, and vary from 

 2^ to 2>% inches in length. The illustration, Fig. 48 

 (page 148), shows an average specimen about two-thirds 

 natural size. If the fruits are still green upon the ap- 

 proach of frost, they may be placed in a cool dry room, 

 where, in the course of two or three weeks, they will 

 take on their handsome color. If carefully handled or 

 wrapped in paper, the fruits will keep until midwinter or 

 later. The fruit is pleasantly scented, and the flavor of 

 it may be compared to that of a juicy, tender and some- 

 what acid eggplant. It is eaten either raw or cooked. 



Upon the approach of winter we dig up some of the 

 plants and remove them to the conservatory or forcing- 

 house. As ornamental plants they will prove to be 



*From Bulletin 37 (Dec. 1891). Cornell Exp. Sta. (now out of print). 

 II FORC. 



