BOTANY AND THE ZOOLOGY OF CHINA 157 



(H tft Ht) of the same type as the previous kind. 5. — The 

 white Chinese melon (6 Stf Si ) of the same type as the green 

 Chinese melon. 6. — The mealy melon of Chinese origin 

 (See PL III, Fig. 4) (BLM) with fruits 12-15 cm. in length 

 and 18-25 cm. in breadth with a green yellow skin with very 

 tender aromatic flesh. 7. — A small light-green melon of 

 Chinese origin (See PL III, Fig. 1) (Jjfe BL, tofflfc) with thin 

 sides and green flesh, 10-14 cm. in length and 8-10 cm. in 

 breadth. 8. — A small silvery green Chinese melon of the 

 same type as the previous kind. It is one of the best kind 

 of Chinese melons in Manchuria. 9. — A dark pure-green 

 elongated Chinese melon (^ $j 8£) with a reddish flesh. 



Vegetable melons (Cucumis conomon Thunb.) are dis- 

 tinguished from the sweet melons by elongate fruits of a 

 cucumber like taste. Only the young fruits of the vegetable 

 melons are eaten and when ripe they are not good in taste. 

 The following varieties of vegetable melons have been 

 observed in North Manchuria: — 



1. — A dark green, long vegetable melon (See PL III, 

 Fig. 6) 25-30 cm. in length. 2. — A long, green vegetable 

 melon covered with streaks (See PL I, Fig. 4) 20-30 cm. in 

 length. 3. — A light green, almost white, vegetable melon of 

 the size of a cucumber (See PL III, Fig. 7), 15-25 cm. in 

 length. 4. — A light green or white oval or round vegetable 

 melon of the size of the small Chinese sweet melons (See 

 PL III, Fig. 8). 5. — A long, light green variety, 50-80 cm. 

 in length and 8-15 cm. in breadth. It is the biggest of all 

 local vegetable melons. 



The melons are cultivated in the same way as the 

 cucumbers. In the beginning of June the ends of the young 

 melon stems are picked up for better growth. 



They are planted in rows, about 2 or 3 feet apart. 

 Small holes are made about 2 or 3 feet apart, and 3-5 seeds 

 are inserted (See PL VI, Fig. 3). The melons are planted 

 in the beginning of May, the fruits are seen on the market 

 from the end of July up to September. 



The sweet melons are eaten in Manchuria during the 

 whole of summer and are also salted for Winter. The vegetable 

 melons are eaten raw as cucumbers, and also* cooked in the 

 same way as the pulps of Luff a and vegetable marrows. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 

 Plate I. 

 Fig. 1. A variety of the large gourd growing in North Manchuria. 

 ,, 2. The long Chinese cucumber. 



,, 3. A variety of the large gourd cultivated in North Manchuria. 

 ,, 4. The green, long vegetable melon grown in North Manchuria. 

 ,, 5. A variety of the large gourd with a green-grey skin and 

 white lines. 



