""•"""^l TAXONOMIC LIST OF PLANTS 125 



themselves to the rultivntion of the soil, which is very fertile for Indian corn 

 I p.oauees also beans, squashes (both small and large) of excellent flavor, 

 f.u.ts. and n.an.v k.nds of roots. The.v have in es,«<ial a certain method o^ 

 preparing squashes with the Indian corn cooked while in its milk, which ihev 

 mix ami cook to^^ther and then dry, a food which has a very swe.-t taste 

 Finally, melons frrow there which have a jui.v no less a^-r.'.'abl.. than re- 

 freshing." 



The relation „f Marquette-s first v.yage. 1(;7:}-I(i77. mentions "melons whi.'h 

 are excellent, especially those that have red seeds." anion}; the Illinois = 



Thence we a.scended to Montreal. . . . The latitude is about ' that of 

 Bordeaux, hut the climate is very agreeable. The s,.il is excellent, and if the 

 Gardener but throw some Jlelon seeds on a bit of loosened earth' among the 

 stones they are sure to grow without any attention on his part. Squashes are 

 raised there with still greater ease, but dilTer much from ours— some of them 

 having when cooked, almost the taste of .ipples or of pears.' 



W.\TERMELOXS AMOSC. CtLTIV.\Ti:i) CROI'S OI' VlRcM.M.V I.\lil.\.\:; 



Several Kinds of the Creeping Vines bearing Fruit, the hnHanH planted in 

 their (Jardens or Fields, because they would have I'l<>nty of them always at 

 hand: such as .Musk-melons, Watermelons. I'onipions, Cushaws. Macocks and 

 Gourd.s. 



1. Their Musk-melons resemble the large Italian Kind, and generally till 

 Four or Five (Quarts. 



2. Their Water-melons were much more large, and of several Kinds, dis- 

 tinguished by the Colour of their Meat and See<l ; .some are re<l. some yellow, 

 and others white nieate<l ; and so of the Seed ; .some are yellow, some red, and 

 .some black ; but these are never of different colours in the .same Melon. This 

 Fruit the Muscovites call Arpus; the Turks and Tartars Karpus. because they 

 are extremely cooling: The Prrsiaus call them Hindanims, because they had 

 the first Seed of them from the Iiulir.i. Tliey are excellently good, and very 

 pleasant to the Taste, as also to the Eye; having the Rind of a lively green 

 colour, streak'd and water'd, the Meat of a Carnation and the Stn'd black and 

 shining, while it lies in the Melon. 



,S. Their Tompions I need not describe, but must say they are much larger and 

 finer, than any I ever heard of in England. 



4. Their Cushaws are a kind ol; Ponipion. of a blui.sh green colour, streaked 

 with White, when they are fit for Use. They are larger than the Pompions, 

 :md have a long, narrow Xeck. Perhaps this may be the Krushair of T. 

 Harriot. 



."). Their M<irorl;s are a sort of Milapciioms. or lesser sort of Pompion or 

 cushaw. Of the.se they have great Variety ; but the Indian Name Macocb 

 .serves for all, which Name is still retain'd among them. Vet the Cli/piatw 

 are sometimes called C'limmls. (as are some others also) from the Lenten Cake 

 of that Xame, which many of them very much resemble. Squash, or Squanter- 

 Squash, is their Name among the Northern Indians, and so they are call'd in 

 Nctiy-York and Xrw-England. These being boil'd whole, when the Apple is 

 young, and the Shell tender, and dished with Cream or Butter, relish very 



■Perrot. M^molre, in Blair, Indians of the Tppor Mississippi, vol. I, p. ll.t. (Writ- 

 ten probably during 1080 to 1718.) 

 'Jesuit Relations, vol. 59, p. 129. 

 ' Relation of 1062-1063, in Jesuit Relations, vol. is, p. 169. 



