ODESSA. 
3 77 
merchandize. The villages in the neighbourhood 
produce butter and cheese; these are rarities 
at table in the South of Russia. Potatoes, seldom 
seen in other towns, are sold in the market, and 
they are even carried as presents to Constan- 
tinople. The melons of the neighbourhood are 
remarkably fine. They have received from 
Turkey one species superior in flavour to any 
perhaps known in the world. The inside of 
this melon is of a green colour ; and the seed, 
after it is opened, is found in a cavity in the 
centre, quite detached from the sides of the 
fruit, in a dry mealy case, or bag, in shape 
resembling the seed vessel of Indian corn. 
This remarkable character will serve to dis- 
tinguish it at any time. The inhabitants, to 
preserve the seed, pierce those bags with 
skewers, and hang them up in their houses 5 . 
The water-melons of Odessa are sometimes 
superior to the finest that are sold in the markets 
of Naples, and they are nearly equal to those 
found upon the coast of Syria. The whole 
country is destitute of wood: for fuel they 
burn weeds gathered in the steppes, as well as 
bundles of reeds and cow-dung : this last they 
collect, and stick upon the sides of their houses; 
(2) We brought some seeds to England 1 but no plants were 
produced from them. 
