JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 21, 1881. ] 
323 
order to illustrate this in a practical manner we will give some 
experience of a grower of this fruit in Hampshire at Bursledon, 
near Southampton—Mr. Joseph Blundell, who in 1860 commenced 
growing Gourds for his own amusement; and after having obtained 
as great a variety of seeds as he could from every country where 
they are cultivated, and having grown them on his own farm for 
several years, he conceived the idea that some kinds might be 
made available for feeding of cattle, and for extending their cul¬ 
ture by the sale of seed of the kinds best adapted for the purpose, 
being offered to the public under the title of “cattle Melons ” and 
“cattle Marrows.” In 1864 a considerable quantity of seed was 
sold ; in 1865 the sale of seed became still more extensive, and was 
sent to growers and seedsmen in every part of the kingdom, also 
to America, Australia, and New Zealand. 
We will now give a copy of a circular that was published 
by the gentleman referred to, calling the attention of growers 
to the seed for sale, headed “ The Cattle Melon and Cattle 
Marrow of 1865.” “Having during the past season supplied 
a large number of growers with seeds of my cattle Melon 
and cattle Marrow I need scarcely add that they have been 
extensively grown in nearly every county of England, also in 
different parts of Ireland and Scotland. Many growers have 
written me very satisfactory accounts, both of the large size of 
the fruit produced, as well as the abundant quantity per acre. 
The correspondents have agreed in a remarkable manner as to the 
feeding value of the fruit, some having given them with good 
'effect to horses, some to cows and pigs, others to sheep, all 
accounts concurring as to the avidity with which the animals 
consumed them, to which I beg to add my own experience of the 
past season. My crops both of Melons and Marrows—some of 
which have been produced as an intermediate crop with Man¬ 
golds, others grown by themselves—have proved very abundant, 
and much superior to the produce of the two previous seasons, in 
both of which I grew 40 tons per acre. I have proved the value 
this season of other sorts and varieties than those previously 
grown, and the result is very satisfactory both as to the cropping 
and feeding value of the new sorts ; in fact, some of the Marrows, 
which weighed 85 lbs. each, grown in the open field are an im¬ 
mense improvement upon any I had before seen. The combined 
growth of both Melons and Marrows on the same land, too, is 
particularly advantageous, some coming early to maturity with 
great numbers of fruit and but little foliage, others throwing out 
luxuriant runners, producing fruit of immense size and valuable 
feeding properties. As an instance of this I give the letter I 
received from Dr. Yoelcker, and his analysis of part of a fruit, 
which weighed 54 lbs. 
“ £ 11, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, London. 
“ ‘ November 22nd, 1865. 
“ 1 Dear Sir, —I have the pleasure of enclosing a copy of an 
analysis of your cattle Melon. You will find oil mentioned as a con¬ 
stituent of this specimen of cattle Melon, and in comparing the results 
with the composition of your former cattle Melon you will observe a 
larger amount of albuminous compounds (flesh-forming matters) in 
the last variety than in that previously analysed by me. These 
differences are due to the fact that in the present instance the seeds 
in due proportion were mixed with the flesh, and both analysed 
together. The seeds are very oily and rich in flesh-forming matters, 
and have the oil and larger proportion of flesh-forming matters in the 
present analysis.—Yours faithfully, Augustus Yoelcker. 
“ ‘ Composition of cattle Melon sent by Mr. Jos. Blundell. Bursledon, 
near Southampton :—1, General composition :—Water. 92’98 ; organic 
matter, 6'42 ; mineral matter (ash), 0 - 60 ; total, 100 00. 2, Detailed 
composition :—Water, 92‘98 ; oil,078 ; albuminous compounds (flesh¬ 
forming matters containing nitrogen, 0245), 1‘53 ; sugar, gum, and 
digestible fibre, 2'51 ; woody fibre (cellubre), 1'65 ; mineral matter 
(ash), 0‘60 ; total, 100.00.’ 
“ The foregoing analysis is certainly favourable, inasmuch that 
it not only exhibits valuable properties for the feeding of milch 
cows, store pigs, See., but also constituents really essential for 
fatting animals—viz., oil and albuminous compounds, including 
flesh-forming matters, in addition to sugar, gum, See. I was, in 
fact, quite prepared to expect a good analysis from my new sorts 
grown this year, my stock having done so well upon them. The 
young store cattle, both Devons and Shorthorns, are receiving 
only a limited quantity of Melons and Marrows with wheat straw, 
and nothing can show finer condition than they do. The pigs and 
dairy cows have also a liberal allowance of these fruit daily ; the 
latter get them carted on the pastures, where they are spread and 
chopped with a spade. In this way they are all consumed with¬ 
out waste. The fatting bullocks have received no other root or 
fruit, except the Melons and Marrows, for the past seventeen 
weeks, which are cut with the Gardner’s cutter, a small quantity 
of Barley and Bean meal being mixed with the cut fruit, and 
straw given ad libitum. Upon this feeding they have all fattened 
well, and will be sold for the Christmas shambles.” 
After giving this quotation relating to their use as cattle food, 
and as an illustration of what has been done by this experimental 
grower, we will now proceed to state what we have seen and the 
practice of others as to the culture and value of Gourds. This 
food for cattle was never intended to take the place of Mangolds 
or other root crops, but merely to fill up a vacuum in the months 
of August, September, October, and November before the root 
crops were ripe. It has also proved of advantage where grass is 
short in the autumn months; and properly cultivated Gourds 
prove an excellent food for the use of dairymen, cow-keepers, and 
the owners of a cow or two in suburban villa farming, because we 
have no root or fruit which is better adapted for feeding cows 
where first-class butter is required, this fruit being entirely free 
from all acrid matter, or anything likely to injure the flavour of 
butter, such as Turnips and Cabbages. All soils suitable for the 
growth of root crops where the climate is mild and moist will 
produce cattle Melons, and the cultivation and preparation of the 
land may be the same as for roots. The manure most suitable is 
found to be yard or town dung, otherwise guano or night soil 
nitrate of soda, or any manure rich in ammonia. They are best’ 
grown as a mixed crop, in order that room may be obtained for 
their trailing habit of growth, and for the prevention of the wind 
rolling the runners over, which greatly impedes the future growth. 
For this purpose two rows of Mangolds, Potatoes, or Cabbages 
may be grown 2 feet apart, then dibble the Melon seed on one 
ridge the same width as for the two rows of Mangolds, &c., 
applying the same quantity of manure as for rows of roots, thus 
growing alternately two lines of roots and one of Melons. The 
manure should be buried in the centre of the stetches and ridges, 
and the Melon seed hand-dibbled inch deep, about 2 feet apart 
directly over the manure, about the first week in May. They are 
easily produced and cultivated at as little expense as ordinary 
root crops, and prove an excellent alternation where the constant 
repetition of root crops has rendered their growth difficult and 
precarious. We have often seen fine fruit grown upon heaps of 
compost manure intended for pasture land, also on borders near 
hedges or fences. A hole dug 2 feet square with a shovelful of 
manure buried will often give an abundant crop, the land and 
adjoining hedges being loaded with large fruit. They are often cul- 
cultivated in America amongst Maize plants, and we have seen them 
so in the south of England. We have also seen Sunflowers 
grown amongst them, and these furnish a large quantity of poultry 
food, and answer a good purpose in preventing the runners of the 
Gourds rolling over before the wind. Of course the Gourds are 
sometimes grown alone, and we have seen enormous crops, especi¬ 
ally where subject to irrigation. A grower in Somersetshire grew 
the dark green American variety very large, two fruits upon one 
planr, one being 160 Tbs., and the other 120 lbs. The yellow 
Gourd in France has been known to reach the enormous weight of 
330 lbs. A Gourd grown in Canada was exhibited last Christmas 
