178 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



ripe, and very hot to the taste ; they are produced in the greatest 

 abundance, sometimes appearing to equal the leaves in number. 



This is one of the earliest 

 and most productive kinds, 

 and is the most suitable 

 variety for gardens in the 

 north of France. In ad- 

 dition to its value as a 

 kitchen-garden plant, it 

 is also highly ornamental, 

 from the fine effect pro- 

 duced by the numerous 

 brilliant - coloured seed- 

 vessels relieved against 

 the green of the foliage. 



The Coral Gem 

 Bouquet Pepper is a very 

 pretty American variety 

 of the above, producing 

 numerous short and regu- 

 larly shaped bright red 

 fruit, in bouquets resem- 

 bling clusters of coral. 



Red Cluster Pepper. 

 — A compact, much- 

 branching plant, with numerous small leaves, and an abundance 

 of flowers at the ends of the branches, succeeded by branches 

 of slender, pointed pods, curved, and bright red ; not so long as 

 those of the Chili Pepper, but much 

 thinner and pungent. 



Cherry Pepper. — Some botanists 

 make this a different species under the 

 name of Capsicum cerasiforme. In its 

 habit of growth, however, it comes 

 very close to the varieties of Capsicum 

 annuumy and is distinguished from the 

 Spanish or Guinea Pepper by the shape 

 of its seed-vessels, which are almost 

 spherical, with a diameter of nearly i in. 

 in all directions. They are extremely 

 hot to the taste, and somewhat late in 

 ripening. In support of the opinion 

 that this Pepper is simply a variety 

 of Capsicum annuum^ it is often found 

 bearing seed-vessels more or less long in shape, and apparently 

 reverting to the common Spanish or Guinea variety. 



Red Cluster Pepper. 



Cherry Pepper (branch, ^^,5 ; 

 fruit, \ natural size). 



