66 



THE VEGETABLES OF NEW YORK 



Christiana. Refs. 4, 12, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 31, 37, 38, 



39, 43, 44, 45, 46, 49, 53, 55, 56, 90, 91, 96, 97, 

 98, 99, 100, 105, 107, 108, 109, 124, 127, 130, 

 133, 136, 138, 139, 144, 145. Syns. Boston Pet, 

 Boston Sweet, Christiana Improved, Early Christi- 

 ana, Early Improved Christiana, Early Orange 

 Christiana, Extra Early Orange Christiana, 

 Improved Orange Christiana, Mill's Earliest, 

 Orange Christiana, Orange Fleshed Christiana. 

 The Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1851 

 recognized the value of this melon through its premium 

 awards for new varieties of merit. Christiana " not yet 

 equalled " was raised by Capt. Josiah Lovett of Beverly, 

 Massachusetts, from a green Malta, pollinated by a 

 very early variety (Netted Nutmeg) and for which the 

 society awarded fifty dollars. During the eighties an 

 exceptionally fine strain was bred and introduced by 

 Dr. E. L. Sturtevant at " Waskakum Farm " at South 

 Framingham, Massachusetts. This variety is best 

 suited for the home or family garden for to be at its 

 best the fruit should be eaten just as it is ready to 

 fall off the vine. 



As a moderately early variety Christiana was 4-5 

 days earlier than Bender's Surprise, in season with 

 Emerald Gem and about a week later than Fordhook 

 and Golden Champlain. The fruits most resemble 

 those of Golden Champlain, being somewhat less 

 deeply furrowed, less uniformly netted and slightly 

 smaller. 



Plant moderately vigorous; vines moderately coarse and 

 medium slender; branches moderately many. 



Fruit moderately small, 5-5 J 2 x 5-5' 2 inches; weight 2— 2j^ 

 pounds. Shape globular, slightly flattened at base and apex; 

 blossom scar corky, somewhat raised, rather conspicuous; ribs 

 moderately prominent, l?^ inches broad at the medial; furrows 

 broad, medium deep and smooth. Netting medium in amount, 

 finely interlaced, often in the form of short streaks; cork moderately 

 light, unevenly distributed over the ribs; interstices moderately 

 shallow. Skin color dull green mottled with golden brown. 



Flesh orange, medium thick, 1}^ inches; texture medium fine, 

 slightly fibrous, rather soft and juicy; very sweet, rather highly 

 flavored, mild aroma; quality good. Cavity small, 2 ;! i x 2'4 

 inches, circular in cross-section. Rind medium thick, ys inch, 

 rather weak and tender. 



Citron. Refs. 2, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 44, 45, 



46, 49, 53, 55, 57, 89, 90, 91, 96, 98, 99, 100, 101, 



105, 127, 130, 133, 134, 136, 138, 139, 142, 145. 



Syns. Citron Nutmeg, Earliest of All, Early 



Citron, Early Green Citron, Extra Early Citron, 



Extra Early Citron Nutmeg, Extra Early Green 



Citron, First in Market, Green, Green Citron, 



Green Citron Nutmeg, Green Fleshed Citron, 



Green Netted Citron, Green Nutmeg, Improved 



Citron, Large Green Citron, Netted Cantaloupe, 



Netted Citron, Netted Green Citron, Netted 



Green Fleshed, Rock Citron. 



Green Citron or Citron was, previous to the eighties, 



perhaps the most popular melon on the market; and 



for cultivation in the family garden, it had few superiors. 



It was included in the very earliest lists, appearing in 



M'Mahon's 1806 American Gardeners catalog, in the 



catalog of Thorburn for 1824 and of Hovey for 1834. 



This variety undoubtedly was used for crossing with 

 ether varieties when earliness and quality were desired. 

 It was one of the earliest to ripen in the garden and was 

 often spoken of as " desirable in the garden till others 

 came into condition." 



This is one of the earliest sorts, maturing at Geneva 

 a week earlier than Early Prolific Nutmeg, in season 

 with Extra Early Hanover, and 2 or 3 days later than 

 Early Bird. It is most like Early Prolific Nutmeg but 

 is slightly more globular, slightly larger, more finely 

 interlaced and more yellowish green in flesh color. It 

 is much more globular than Jenny Lind but is similar in 

 netting characteristics. 



Plant medium vigorous; vines moderately slender; branches 

 few. 



Fruit moderately small, 4*2-5 x 5-5 'J inches; weight 2 • L J-3 

 pounds. Shape nearly globular, very slightly flattened at base and 

 apex; blossom scar rather conspicuous; ribs rather obscure, l}/£ 

 inches broad at the medial; furrows narrow, shallow and smooth. 

 Netting sparse, medium finely interlaced; cork light, unevenly dis- 

 tributed over the ribs, base and apex; interstices shallow. Skin 

 color dull yellowish brown sparsely mottled with green. Flesh 

 very light green often with a pale yellowish cast; medium thick, 

 1 inch; texture medium coarse, fibrous, soft and juicy; very sweet, 

 rather highly flavored and mildly aromatic; quality fair. Cavity 

 moderately small, 3 x 2 ' i inches, circular in cross-section. Rind 

 medium thick, } g inch, rather soft and tender. 



Clark. 



George Tait & Sons, Norfolk, Virginia, offered the 

 Clark melon in 1933 as an improved stock of Bottomly. 

 Fruits were produced about the same season as Netted 

 Gem. In many respects it was very similar to that 

 variety and differed chiefly in having a distinctly heavier, 

 more cord-like netting and in being somewhat more 

 extended at the base. 



Fruit small, 5 J 2-6 x 4-4 1 2 inches; weight 2-2 1 j' pounds. 

 Shape oval, base slightly extended, apex rounded; blossom scar 

 obscure, ribs prominent, 1 J 2 inches broad at the medial; furrows 

 narrow, shallow and smooth, often rather pubescent. Netting 

 abundant, finely interlaced; cork very heavy and coarse, distributed 

 uniformly over the ribs, base and apex; interstices very deep. Skin 

 color dark green becoming dull orange at full maturity. Flesh green, 

 thin, J s— 1 inch, texture very coarse and fibrous, soft and juicy; 

 sprightly, highly flavored, often strong, nauseous; quality fair to 

 poor. Cavity moderately small, 3 > 2 x 2 ' ■> inches, circular in cross- 

 section. Rind thick, }i inch, strong and moderately tough. 



Colorado Qiiccn. 



This melon, which is slightly larger than Burrell's 

 Gem, was introduced in 1923 by the St. Louis Seed Co., 

 St. Louis, Missouri. It is recommended as well suited 

 to shipping. 



It is a moderately late variety, 2-3 days earlier than 

 Pollock 10-25, in season with Rocky Ford and 4-6 

 days later than Burrell's Gem. It is much like Burrell's 

 Gem in shape although it is larger, more coarsely inter- 

 laced and more orange brown in skin color. The flesh 

 is thinner than that of Rocky Ford but otherwise is 

 much like it. 



Fruit medium large, 7-7 '2 x 4' 2- 5 inches, weight 3-3 l -> 

 pounds. Shape oval, somewhat tapered at the ends; blossom scar 

 rather obscure; ribs moderately prominent, l'i inches broad at the 

 medial; furrows medium broad, shallow and usually smooth to 

 sparsely netted. Netting moderately abundant, medium coarsely 



