124 



GUCURBITACEOUS PLANTS. 



inmate in a projecting apex at the extremity of the fruit. 



When mature, it is 

 of a uniform pale- 

 yellow or straw col- 

 or. The skin, or 

 shell, is very hard 

 when the fruit is per- 

 fectly ripened ; flesh 

 white, tender, and 

 succulent, even till 

 the seeds are ripe. It may be used in every stage of its 

 growth. When well ripened, it will keep throughout the 

 winter, if stored in a dry place, out of the reach of frost, 

 and not exposed to great changes of temperature. 



Vegetable Marrow Squash. 



'Winter 



This is one of the oldest and most familiar 

 of the winter varieties. Plant hardy and vig- 

 orous ; fruit somewhat irregular in form ; the 

 neck solid and nearly cylindrical, and the blossom-end more 

 or less swollen. In some specimens, the neck is nearly 

 straight ; in others, sweeping, or 

 circular ; and sometimes the ex- 

 tremities nearly or quite approach 

 each other. The size is very 

 variable, being affected greatly 

 both by soil and season : the 

 weight ranges from six to forty 

 pounds and upwards. Color 

 green, but, when fully mature, 

 often cream-yellow. Flesh sal- 

 mon-yellow, not uniform in tex- 

 ture or solidity, sometimes close-grained, sweet, and fine 

 flavored, but often coarse, stringy, and nearly worthless for 

 the table. Seeds of medium size, grayish- white, the border 

 darker, or brownish : about two hundred are contained in 

 an ounce. 



Winter Crookneck Squash. 



