140 



TTEEDS A^-D USEPUL PLAXTS. 



0^5. Known to every one, — and uniTersally cultivated for the young 

 or green fruit. The young fruit (sometimes called Gherkins) is much 

 used for Pickles. In the Middle Scates, the popular time for planting 

 the seeds is the first day of May, before sunrise." 

 3. C. Axgu'eia, X. Stem prostrate, slender : leaves palmate-lobed and 

 sinuate, cordate at base ; fruit sula-glolDose or oval, echinate. 

 Prickly Cucumber. Jerusalem Cucumber. 



Hirsute. Root O-mmsl. >S'(!m 3-6 feet long, branching ; ^ewIriZ.? simple. Leaves o~i 

 inclies in length, deeply sinuate-lohed ; pa!ioZes 1 - 2 inches long. Flowers greenish yel- 

 low, on short axillarj'^^ peduncles. Fruii usually ahout an inch and a half long, oval, mari- 

 cate, green. 



Gardens : cultivated. Native of Jamaica. PJ. July -August. J'a September. 



Obs. Occasionally cultivated for the young fruit. — which is used for 

 Pickles. 



3. CITRUL'LUS, Neck. TTatek-melon. 



[From Citrus, an Orange ; the pulp being mostly Orange red.] 



Calyx deeply 5-cleft, — the segments linear-lanceolate. Petals 5, connect- 

 ed at base, adnate to the bottom of the calyx. Stamens 5, inserted on 

 the base of the corolla, triadelphous. Style cylindric, trind ; stigmas 

 convex, reniform-cordate. Fruit sub-globose, fleshy, the placentae mostly 

 very succulent. Seeds numerous, colored, ob ovate-oblong, compressed 

 truncate at base and obtuse on the margin. 



1. 0. yulga'eis, Schrad. Stem prostrate, rather slender ; leaves some- 

 what 5-lobed, the lobes obtusely sinuate-pinuatifid, bluish glaucous 

 beneath ; flowers solitary, pedunculate, with a single bract ; fruit glo- 

 bose or oval, very smooth, stellate-maculate. 

 CoMMOx CiTEUiJLUs. Watcr-melon. 



Ft. Melon d'eau. Germ. Die Wasser Meloue. Span. Sandia. 



Plant hairy. Root annual. Stem 8-12 or 15 feet long, angular, somewhat branching , 

 tendrils branched. Leaves 3 - 5 or 6 inches long, orate in their outline ; pelioles2-8 inches 

 long, generaUy erect. Flowers axillary, on hairy peduncles an inch or more in length. 

 Corolla pale greenish yellow. F-uit 10 - 20 inches long, globose or oval, with a firm fleshy 

 rind, and, when mature, with a tender sweet watery pulp "ttithin, which is usually purple 

 or reddish orange-colored (sometimes nearly white). &eds black or purplish brown. 



Gardens and fields : cultivated. Native of India and Africa. i^Z. June -August. F: 

 August - Sept emb er . 



Obs. This plant — so well known for its delicious fruit — is extensively 

 cultivated, — but succeeds best in the sandy soils along the Atlantic 

 coast, or on the alluvial banks of our Western waters. There is a 

 nearly allied plant, often seen in gardens, which bears a considerably 

 difierent fruit — known by the name of " Citron.'" the firm rind of which 

 is used in making " Sweet meats or Preserves. The flesh is very firm, 

 and the centre does not become red, tender nor watery, like the common 

 Water-melon : yet the whole aspect of the plant, and external appear- 

 ance of the fruit, so closely resemble this species, that I suppose it may 

 be nothing more than a variety : perhaps the var. Fasteca, Ser. 



