CUCUMIS MELO, Lmn. 



Var, MOMORDICA. 



(.Vide Plate XLIX). 



English, none ; Veknaculak, kachra (unripe), phunt (ripe), tuti-t 



This is one of the more marked varieties of C. Melo, differing only, however, as 

 far as description can apply, in the form and nature of the fruit. The fruit is cylin- 

 drical and quite smooth, and when ripe bursts spontaneously. In size it varies from 1 ft. 

 to 2 ft. long, and from 3-6 in. in diameter, and weighs from 4-8 lbs. The seeds are 

 rather smaller than those of the common melon. 

 Eoxburgh (Fl. Ind. I.e.) says of this plant: — 

 " The fruit is much eaten both by Natives and Europeans ; when young they are a good substitute for the 

 " common cucumber, and when ripe (after bursting spontaneously) with the addition of a little sugar they are 

 " little inferior to the melon, and reckoned very wholesome." 



The following is the area returned as under plmnt during the rainy season of 1881 

 in certain typical districts : — 



A cres. 



Bijnor, ... ... ... ... ... ... 212 



Allahabad, ... ... ... ... ... ... 183 



Shahjahanpur, ... ... ... ... ... ... 116 



Muttra, ... ... ... ... ... ... 42 



Aligarh, ... ... ... ... ... ... 17 



Jhansi, ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 



Mainpuri, ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 



1. Ripe fruit, transverse section, 



2. Entire fruit. 



JExplanation of Plate XLIX. 

 ^ nat. size. 



3. Female flower, ) , , 



4. Male flower, 



5. Portion of flowering branch (nat. size). 



From a drawing of a living specimen cultivated at Saharanpur. 



* References :— Cognianx in DC, Mon. Phan. iii. 484 ; Atkinson Econom, Prod. K.-W P. Part v. p. 0. C. Momor- 

 dica Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 720 ; W. & A. Prod. p. 342. 

 t lloxburgh 1. c. 



