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PUMPKIN, OR POMPION. PEPO. 



Natural order, Cucurbitacea. A genus of the Monacia 

 Syngenesia class. 



THE pompion is a coarse, inferior kind of melon, which 

 has long been known in Europe, as Pliny mentions it in 

 his 19th book, chap. v. where he says, cucumbers of an 

 exceeding large size are called pompions. Again, in his 

 20th book, chap. ii. he says, " the fruit called pompions, 

 or melons, are eaten to cool the body, and the fleshy sub- 

 stance is applied to the eyes, assuaging their pain," Sec. 



Alton states it to be a native of the Levant, and says it 

 was first introduced into this country in 1570. Gerard 

 says, "as there is a wild sort of cucumbers, of melons, 

 citruls, and gourds, so likewise there be certaine wild 

 pompions, which grow in Barbaric, Africa, and most parts 

 of the East and West Indies." This author says, "the 

 pulpe of the pompion is neuer eaten raw ; but boiled in 

 milk and buttered, is not onely a good wholesome meate 

 for man's bodie, but, being so prepared, is also a most 

 phisicall medicine for such as have an hot stomacke, and 

 the inward parts inflamed :" he continues, " the flesh or 

 pulpe of the same sliced, and fried in a pan with butter, 

 is also a good and wholesome meate :" but he condemns 

 the method of using it with apples in pies. 



This fruit has lately been raised in the neighbourhood 

 of London to an extraordinary size, weighing nearly two 

 hundred weight. These are sold in the shops of the me- 

 tropolis, more as a curiosity than for use. I have found 



