GOURDS IN THE GARDEN. 



325 



cut like a fig-leaf, and being one of the 

 freest in fruit one may count upon a fair 

 yield even in the coldest and wettest 

 summer. An arch or arbour of this kind 

 alone is almost tropical in its fine effect 

 as the fruits develop. But to grow 

 Gourds to the best advantage there is 

 nothing so good as a pergola, which 

 may be of the simplest material if suffi- 

 ciently strong to carry a fair weight of 

 fruit. In many gardens such a pergola 

 would give an added charm to the 



Gourd-laden trellises of southern Eu- 

 rope than of the English garden. In 

 the growth of Gourds out of doors in 

 this country much depends upon the 

 weather, but, given a fair season with 

 average sunshine, one may count upon 

 a fair display of fruits. Some Gourds 

 need more heat than others, the La- 

 genarias, for example, often failing to 

 fruit in a wet season, whereas in a warm 

 summer its many fine varieties of Bottle 

 Gourds, Powder-horn Gourds, and the 



YELLOW WARTED GOURD. (Engraved for " Fl 



grounds and is useful as a shelter 

 in summer when it is often needed ; it 

 can also be used to add beauty to the 

 kitchen -garden, or as a temporary 

 screen. Our pergola should stand a clear 

 7 feet high, while its width will depend 

 upon the space at command ; its lower 

 part needs short rods upon which to 

 train the Gourds, which should be 

 planted about every 3 feet, and when 

 the structure is well covered and the 

 fruits take form and colour, an effect 

 is produced more suggestive of the 



rom a fruit in the garden of Mrs. Brightwen, Stanmore/ 



Hercules' Club will grow away luxuri- 

 antly. When planting a pergola with 

 Gourds it isagood plan therefore to use 

 these tender kinds sparingly and mixed 

 with the hardier forms of Cucurbitas 

 pepo,jicifolia, and maxima. In this way 

 one is more independent of weather, 

 one or both of these groups being cer- 

 tain to prosper, according as the season 

 is good or otherwise. During the hot 

 summer of 1900 a pergola here was re- 

 markable for its fruits of Lagenaria Her- 

 cules' Club, some of them measuring 



x 3 



