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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



implying a probable early connexion by means of an Antarctic con- 

 tinent; for the depth of the ocean decreases northwards in the direc- 

 tion of the southern extremities of existmg land; several species of 

 the genus being found at the Gape. It is said to have been introduced 

 by Sir Jos. Banks in 1772. The leaves are thick and used as a 

 substitute for spinach, but the mucilage in the leaves is somewhat 

 objectionable. 



Vegetable Marrow. 



A. de Candolle considered that botanical indications were in favour 

 of a Mexican or Texan origin. In Gerard's *' Herbal " (1597) there is a 

 figure (fig. 61) which he calls the Spanish cucumber; raised from seed, 

 " not long since sent out from Spain." It grows, he adds, to a foot 

 in length, is green below, but yellow in the sun, with spots and lines 

 of divers colours, but it is represented smooth, and not rough like a 



Fig. 61. — Vegetable Marrow from Gerard's "Herbal" (miscalled Cuccmber). 



cucumber. The Spaniards might well have received this from Mexico. 

 The figure would answer very well for a vegetable marrow, now known 

 as Cucurhita ovifera, L., and if A. de Gandolle be correct, it may. be 

 an American variety of Cucurbita Pepo, the pumpkin ; while the gourds 

 of Europe are forms of C. maxima. 



Many small forms of fruits are cultivated of various shapes, as the 

 Turk's Gap, and being forms of the species G. verrucosa, some are 

 warted; others are globular, pear or bottle-shaped, and of different 

 colours — some of these were figured by Parkinson (1640). Professor 

 Ghurch says of the vegetable marrow that " although tne fruit is 

 very watery, yet it contains more nutritive matter than its close ally 

 the cucumber. The percentages are as follow^s:- — Water 94.8, albu- 

 minoids 0.6, sugar, starch, fat and cellulose, 4.1; mineral matter, 0.5. 

 The nutrient ratio is 1 :5, the nutrient value 3.5. 



