332 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



where the fruit is also narrowest ; skin very smooth, of a dark 

 green, marbled with yellow or with paler green. All through 

 Italy, where this Gourd is very commonly grown, the 

 fruit is eaten quite young, when it is hardly the size 

 of a small Cucumber, sometimes even before the 

 flower has opened, when the ovary, which is scarcely 

 as long or as thick as the finger, is gathered for use. 

 The plants, which are thus deprived of their undeveloped 

 fruit, continue to flower for several months most 

 profusely, each producing a great number of young 

 Gourds, which, gathered in that state, are exceedingly 

 tender and delicately flavoured. This should be tried 

 in England, and the same excellent way of gathering 

 young adopted. 



Geneva Bush Squash. — Stems not running ; 

 leaves long-stalked, of medium size and clear green 

 colour, rather deeply cut into elongated lobes which 

 are toothed at the edges ; fruit numerous, small, very 

 much flattened, 5 or 6 in. in diameter and 2 or 3 in. 

 in depth ; skin smooth, brownish green, turning orange 

 when ripe ; flesh yellow^ and not very thick. The 

 Italian Veget- fruit is eaten young, before it is fully grown, like the 

 able Marrow. Vegetable Marrow. 



Bush Nice Squash. — Probably a sub- variety of the Geneva 

 Bush Squash, which it closely resembles. It is much grown, under 

 the name of Cougourdon, by the gardeners of the Riviera for the 

 winter markets, i.e. December to March. It is grown in the open 

 ground, with some kind 



of protection on the north 

 side, and is covered up 

 during the night. There 

 are two forms, one round, 

 resembling the Geneva 

 Squash, but flatter ; the 

 other long, and very like 

 the Vegetable Marrow. 

 The fruit is eaten when 

 scarcely one-third of its 

 full size. It is then dark 

 green. When ripe, the 

 skinissmooth and orange- 

 red, like the Geneva 

 Squash. 



Early Bush, or 

 Summer Crook-neck, Squash. — This plant is not a climber or 

 trailer, but forms a tuft like the Custard Marrows. Leaves of a 



Geneva Bush Squash. 



