EGG PLANT. 



[Solanum esculentum. L. 



The Egg-plant, also known as bringal, 

 aubergine, egg-apple and mad-apple, is 

 an herbaceous plant belonging to the 

 Nightshade family (Solananae), therefore 

 kin to the potato and tomato. It is a 

 tender annual, readily killed by the early 

 frosts. It has rather large, simple, some- 

 what incised leaves. The fruits are large, 

 egg-shaped, tomato-like in structure, 

 hence berries. 



It is quite extensively cultivated in 

 gardens. The seeds are sown in hot beds 

 early in April but transplanting is not 

 done until about the first of June, when 

 all danger of frost is past. The soil 

 should be very rich and the plants set 

 about three feet apart. Like most trans- 

 planted plants they require shading and 

 watering for a few days. Careful culti- 

 vation is required during the entire sea- 

 son. Propping may be necessary to keep 

 the large, heavy fruits from the ground. 



The Colorado beetle is a very annoying 

 enemy of the growing plants atid must be 

 effectually fought to insure a crop. 



There are several varieties of Egg- 

 plant. The purple variety is by long 

 odds the greatest favorite. There are 

 also white and yellow varieties. 



Most people consider the properly pre- 

 pared fruit of the Egg-plant a delicacy. 

 In some tropical countries it forms an im- 

 portant article of diet. The ripe fruit is 

 prepared for the table by peeling and boil- 

 ing. After boiling the fruit is sliced, sea- 

 soned and fried until well browned, in 

 rolled crackers or bread crusts and a lib- 

 eral supply of butter. When well pre- 

 pared it is a very palatable article of diet 

 but when insufficiently cooked or fried it 

 is indigestible. It does not seem to be 

 prepared in other ways nor does it seem 

 to have any noteworthy medicinal prop- 

 erties. Albert Schneider. 



There comes, from yonder height, 



A soft repining sound, 

 Where forest leaves are bright. 

 And fall, like flakes of light, 



To the ground. 



It is the autumn breeze, 



That, lightly floating on. 

 Just skims the weedy leas. 

 Just stirs the glowing trees, 



And is gone. 

 — William Cullen Bryant, 



The Voice of Autumn." 



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