324 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



Turk's-cap, or Turban, Gourd.— A very distinct kind of 

 Gourd, well known everywhere from its peculiar shape, for which 

 it has received the common name of Turk's-cap, or Turban, 



Gourd. There is an 

 almost infinite number 

 of forms of it, all of 

 the characteristic tur- 

 ban shape, but differ- 

 ing from one another 

 in the size and colour 

 of the fruit. The kind 

 which is most com- 

 monly grown, and 

 'J which may be con- 

 sidered the type of 

 ;y the variety, produces 

 fruit weighing from 

 ^ about 6 to 9 lb. each, 

 bearing on the end 

 farthest from the stalk 

 a cap-shaped enlarge- 

 ment, w^hich is some- 

 times hemispherical, 

 and sometimes with 

 four or five deeply 

 cut ribs. The fruit is 

 hardly ever uniform 

 in colour, being often 

 / variegated in a variety 

 ' of ways, most fre- 

 quently with dark 

 green, yellow, and red. 

 One of these colours 

 is often absent, and 

 sometimes the fruit is 

 entirely of a dark 

 green hue. The flesh 

 is of a fine orange 

 colour, and is thick, 

 floury, and sweet. 

 Small Chinese 



Mammoth Whale Squash. 



Turban Gourd.— Introduced from China by the authorities of 

 the Museum of Natural History at Paris, it is a very distinct 

 plant, and appear to possess a considerable degree of merit. It 

 differs from the Gourds hitherto known in Europe, in the small 

 size of its fruit, which do not usually exceed 2 or 3 lb. each 



