FANCY GOURDS 



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colour, instead of covering half the fruit, only forms a ring round 

 it of greater or less width. These different variegations may also 

 be found combined with one another in various ways, as in some 

 two-coloured fruits which have the yellow part of a uniform tint, 

 while the green part is striped or banded with different colours. 

 All the varieties of Pear Gourds generally exhibit the following 

 characteristics : The plants are of medium size, the stems seldom 

 exceeding from 6h to about loj ft. in length. Leaves of moderate 

 size, dark green, nearly entire, with five roundish angles, or divided 

 into five faintly marked lobes. 



Several varieties of Fancy Gourds have fruit almost spherical 

 in shape or slightly flattened at the ends, like an Apple or an 

 Orange. Of these the following are the most commonly grown 

 kinds : — 



Early Apple Gourd.— Stems of moderate length, not exceeding 

 from 6^ to about lo ft. ; leaves medium-sized, gray-green, cut into 

 five lobes with toothed edges ; fruit nearly spherical, flattened at 

 the ends, especially at the end farthest 

 from the stalk ; skin very smooth and 

 entirely white. 



Orange Gourd.— The fruit of this 

 variety is similar in shape to that of 

 the preceding one, but of a fine orange 

 colour. Leaves large, divided into five 

 lobes more or less deeply cut, of a 

 dark green colour, and often slightly 

 crimped. The fruit exactly resembles 

 a ripe Orange in size and colour. 



Miniature Gourd.— A small plant 

 with thin slender stems, seldom more 

 than about 6J ft. long. Leaves dull 

 green, with grayish blotches, some- 

 times nearly entire, but most usually 

 divided into three (rarely into five) 

 round lobes ; fruit generally rather flat 

 at the ends, about 2 in. in diameter, Miniature Gourd, 



and variegated with pale green on a 



darker green ground, almost like the Striped Pear Gourd. 



White-striped Flat Fancy Gourd. — A vigorous-growing 

 variety, with stems 10 to 14 ft. long. Leaves largish, divided into 

 five lobes, which generally terminate in rather sharp points ; fruit 

 very much flattened transversely, much broader than long, 2 or 3 in. 

 in diameter, and striped or marbled with various shades of green. 

 The peculiar shape and regular markings of this Gourd give it 

 quite a unique appearance, and would lead one to think, at first 

 sight, that it belonged to some species very different from 



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