Botanij of the Cucurbits 



315 



100 mg., those of the Summer Crookneck {C. Pepo var. 

 condensa) about % in. long and % in. or more broad and 

 weighing 90 to 100 mg., those of field pumpkin (C, Pepo) % 

 in. long and 1/2 in. broad and weighing 150 to more than 200 

 mg., of Mammoth Chile Squash (C. ma-rima) 1 in. by % in. 

 and weighing nearly 500 mg. ; vitality 5 to 7 years. The seeds 

 of 0. Pepo and C. vioschata are much alike in form, dirty 

 white color, and thin edge with raised border ; those of C. 

 maxima are whiter, round-edged, and without the same kind 

 of elevated rim. 



The nativity of these cucurbitas is not yet determined. Some 

 authorities think them probably American and others ascribe 

 them to Central Asia. It is not likely that the species inter- 

 mix. C. Pepo and C. maxima apparently do not cross, and 

 there are no known hybrids in cultivation between any of 

 the species. It would be good to know whether a bee visits 

 the three species indiscriminately in a single journey. The 

 botany of the group is still imperfectly comprehended, and 

 it is unsafe to make positive statements on these subjects ; 

 but for practical purposes it may be said that the species hol;l 

 their identity. 



