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iFfuit to be taken for a Character 

 to the Genus. 



The > pedes are ; 

 • i. Melongena fruiru oblongo 

 vjiolaceo. "Tourn. Mad apple with an 

 oblong violet colour d Fruit. 



2. Melongena fruftu oblongo al- 

 io. Tour*. Mad-apple with an oblong 

 white Fruit. 



3. Melongena fpincfa,fruclu ro- 

 turJo croceo. fount. Prickly Mad- 

 apple, with a round faftron-colour'd 

 Fruit. 



4. Melongena fruclu rotunda, 

 cum fpinis njiclaceis. Tourn. Mad- 

 apple,' with a round Fruit, and vio- 

 let-colour'd Prickles. 



Of late, fome Perfons who were 

 ignorant of the true Name of this 

 Plant, have given it that of the Egg- 

 plant, from a Refemblance which 

 fome of thefe Fruit bear to Eggs ; 

 but this is confufmg People. 



There are feveral other Varieties 

 of this Plant, which differ in the 

 Size, Form, or Colour of the Fruit, 

 ©r in the Shape of their Leaves ; but 

 thofe here mention'd are all that I 

 have obferv'd in the Englijb Gardens. 



Thefe Plants are greatly cultivated 

 in the Gardens of Italy, Spain, and 

 Barbary ; in which Places the Inha- 

 bitants eat the Fruit of them boiTd 

 with fat Flefh, putting thereto fome 

 fcrap'd Cheefe, which they preferve 

 in Vinegar, Honey, or fait Pickle, 

 all Winter, to provoke a venereal 

 Appetite : but in Summer, when the 

 Fruit is juft ripe, they ufually gather 

 them, and make them up into Pud- 

 dens with feveral Sorts of Spice 1 :, 

 and other Ingredients : which Difh 

 the Italians are very fond of. 



The Italians call this Fruit Melan- 

 zana, from the antient Latin Name 

 of Mala injana ; by which it is by 

 many Authors ftiled. The Turks 

 call it Badanjan , and in fome Eng- 

 lijb Books it is titled Brown Jsbns > 



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probably from a Corruption of the 

 Turkijh Name. By fome it has been 

 called Bronvn Jolly, and Baron Jelly, 

 from the fame Corruption. 



They are propagated by Seeds* 

 which mull be fown upon a mode- 

 rate Hot-bed in March ; and when 

 the Plants come up, they muft be 

 tranfplanted into another Hot-bed 

 about four Inches afunder, obferv- 

 ing to water and made them until 

 they have taken Root : after which 

 you muft give them a great Share of 

 Air when the Weather is warm, 

 otherwife they will draw up very 

 weak. They muft alfo be frequent- 

 ly watered, without which they will 

 make but a very indifferent Pro- 

 grefs : but when they are grown fo 

 ltrong as to fill the Frame (which 

 will be by the middle of May J, you 

 muft tranfplant them out into a rich 

 Spot of Ground at two Feet Di- 

 ftance ; obferving to preferve as 

 much Earth to the Roots as pofnble 

 when you" take them up, otherwife 

 they are fubjeft to mifcarry You 

 muft obferve to water them plenti- 

 fully until they have taken Root ; 

 after which they will require but 

 very little Care more than to keep 

 them clear from Weeds, and in very 

 dry Weather to give themfomeWater. 



About the middle of June the 

 Fruit will appear; at which time, if 

 the Weather be very dry, you muft 

 often water them ; which will caufe 

 the Fruit to grow very large, and 

 increafe their Number : toward the 

 latter End of July their Fruit will 

 ripen : when you muft preferve the 

 Seeds of each Kind feparate. 



Thefe Piants are only prcferv'd as 

 Curiofuies in the Englijb Gardens, 

 the Fruit being never us'd in this 

 Country, except by fome Italians 

 or Spaniards, who have been ac- 

 cuftom'd to eat of them in their own 

 Countries. 



MELO- 



