92 Southern Gardener^ s Practical Manual 



seed. Now wash the seeds, and dry them in the shade. 

 The seed and pulp should not be allowed to ferment more 

 than three or four days, since the heat generated by 

 excessive fermentation may injure the seed. Enough 

 seed may be saved for an ordinary garden by allowing 

 the fruit to approach decomposition, when the seed may 

 be scraped out with a spoon, dried in the shade and 

 stored for next year's planting. 



While the Colorado potato -beetle prefers the potato 

 and the nettle, it will attack the eggplant. A dusting 

 of Paris green diluted with flour, gypsum or air -slaked 

 lime, will promptly destroy it. The plants are some- 

 times destroyed by a species of blight, which attacks the 

 root and turns the wood dark. Under serious attacks of 

 this disease the whole plant wilts and dies. The diseased 

 plants should be dug up and burned. 



The fruit may be sliced and fried with Qgg and bread- 

 crumbs, or boiled until soft and the interior scraped out 

 with a spoon and then fried in batter. A delicious dish 

 is the result of each method. This plant withstands heat 

 and drought, and supplies the table during the fall when 

 other vegetables are scarce. 



ENDIVE 



Endive is a hardy annual cultivated for its leaves in 

 Europe and to some extent near our large cities, but is 

 seldom found in the private garden. The leaves are 

 blanched by tying together. In our climate, where the 

 cresses, kale, spinach and lettuce are so easily grown for 

 winter and early spring use, it is not needed. 



