cucurbitacf.t:. 139 



Carthage, hence called roTimm I'miicmii, or Carthage Ajiple. (irnnatntn is 

 the Latin for grained or seeded, due to the abundance of seed in the fruit. 

 Pomeyianate, tlie coumion uame, is made up of iiomum, ap])le, and granatnm, 

 seeded. 



Historif. — The home of this beautiful little tree is I'ersia and the adjacent 

 countries, whence it has spread tiiroughout Syria, Asia Minor, the Levant 

 southern Europe, Africa, China, and Jajian. It has also been brought by 

 European colonists to southern North America. 



It was known to the ancients and is spoken of frequently in the Bible. The 

 Hebrews on their journeyings through the desert of Arabia, complained to 

 Moses, saying, " It is no place of seed or of figs or of vines or of pomegran- 

 ates." And Moses himself describes the promised land as a country of " wheat, 

 barley and vines, tig-trees and jjomegrauates." Solomon speaks of an " orchard 

 of pomegranates with pleasant fruits," 



By tliese (piotations we are led to the inference that the pomegranate was 

 an important food-plant at that time. 



Use. — The plant is cultivated largely in the regions of no frost as an orna- 

 mental tree, and in colder climates in conservatories, througliout Europe and 

 the United States. 



The fruit is used for a dessert, being prepared by cutting it into halves, 

 removing tlie seeds, filling their places with sugar, and sprinkling the whole 

 with rose-water. 



The bark is highly charged with tannin, and produces a beautiful yellow 

 dye, with which the yellow Levant morocco is colored. The bark of the root 

 is used as a vermifuge, and was formerly considered a specific for tape worm. 



Statistics. — Outside of the countries of Asia and Africa, where the pome- 

 granate is grown, it is of very small commercial importance. 



Order XXVIL CUCURBITACE^. 



Flowers inonnecions, or dioecious, seldom perfect, solitary, sometimes 

 fascicled, or racemed, usually white or yellow. Calyx bell-sliaped, 

 o-toothed or lobed, imV)ricate iu the bud. Corolla with petals united, 

 wheel- or bell-shai)ed, .Vlobed. Stamens 5, mostly H, one of the anthers 

 1-celled, the others '2-celled. Ovary inferior, 1- or many-celled. Fruit 

 a many-seeded berry. Leaves alternate, petioled. usually cordate. Stem 

 succulent, climbing or clambering over undershrubs, etc. Mostly 

 herbs. 



Genera, 08. 



CUCUMIS. L. Cah-x tubular, bell-shaped, fvparted or toothed, teeth 

 awl-sluiped, about as long as the tube. Petals 'i, slightly attached to 

 the calyx. Stamens in three groups. Stigmas 3, nearly sessile, stout, 

 and 2-lobed. Fruit globular, sometimes flattened at the poles, and 

 again lengthened into a prolate spheroid or short cylinder. Seeds 

 numerous, whiter or yellowish, oblanceolate, acute at the base, and 

 flattene(L 



L C. sativus, L. (Cucumber.) Stem trailing, rough, hairy, 5 to 12 feet 

 long, branched ; tendrils sim])le. Leaves cordate, .'. t.) C inches long, angularly 



