CUCUMBER 



281 



Goliath Green Cucumber. — This seems to be only a variety ot 

 the Green Giant Cucumber, from which it differs in being a little 

 later and having the fruit a trifle longer. 



Tuscan Solid Green Cucumber. — Fruit handsome and long 

 smooth, nearly cylindrical, becoming of a bronzy colour as it ripens. 



Extra Long White-spine Cucumber. —An American variety, 

 with long, green, white-spined fruit, rather like the Long Green 

 Chinese Cucumber. 



Greek, or Athenian, Cucumber. — A vigorous-growing plant, 

 but of low thick-set habit, rather than very tall. Stems stout, and 

 not more than 4| to a little over 5 ft. long, with the joints pretty 

 close to one another. Leaves dark green, large, entire, or with 

 three faintly marked lobes, 

 toothed at the edges, de- 

 creasing rapidly in size from 

 the base to the end of the 

 stem. Fruit always solitary 

 in the axil of a leaf, three 

 or four to a strong plant, 

 nearly cylindrical, 10 to 12 in. 

 long, sometimes narrowed 

 near the stalk ; skin smooth, 

 and entirely devoid of spines, 

 uniformly green until nearly 

 ripe, when it turns to bronzy 

 yellow ; flesh white, firm, 

 thick, completely filling the 

 fruit, with the exception of 

 a small portion occupied by 

 the seeds. If gathered a short 

 time before ripening, the fruit 

 keeps fresh and firm for 

 several days. The Greek 

 Cucumber is an excellent, productive, and moderately early kind. 

 It is also hardy and well adapted for growing in the open 

 ground. 



Green Long Chinese Cucumber. — Leaves usually entire, but 

 sometimes with three to five well-marked lobes. Fruit slightly 

 flattened on three sides, 10 to 14 in. long, of a rather pale green 

 colour, marked lengthways with whitish lines and bearing a few 

 spines, which are entirely white, short, and easily detached from the 

 skin. The colour of the fruit becomes paler as it ripens, until it is 

 finally of a yellow-white with scarcely a shade of green. The flesh 

 is very white, tender, and almost as thick as that of the Long White 

 or of the Early White Cucumber. The plant is very productive, 

 bearing for a long time in succession. It is a half-late variety. 



Greek, or Athenian, Cucumber (|- natural size). 



