THE PRINCIPLES OE BOTANY. 95 
so by being grown in moulds. Even now it is occasionally 
to be met with in herbalists’ shops as mandrake. 
The white bryony and the black bryony roots, though from 
plants of different natural orders, have, in common, properties 
of a most active and poisonous nature, and hence the “ wise 
men” who quack the foolish; and the cunning carter, who is 
everlastingly quacking his horses, make use of them, and, 
doubtless, by their means commit much mischief. 
We have known a carter wise in “ savage” (savine ?) and 
knowing in “ brier” (bryony ?), who was for ever quacking 
his horses—“ curing,” he called it—when in all probability 
they would never have been ailing, except from the poisons 
that were continually being given them. When, therefore, 
the farm horses appear to be irritable, and present constant 
ailing symptoms, the farmer will generally do well to ex¬ 
change his carter for one less knowing in dangerous drugs, 
our experience leading us to suppose that much loss is occa¬ 
sioned thereby. 
After this dissertation on our native wild curcubits we now 
proceed to a short notice of the cultivated plants of the 
order. 
Cucumbers, melons, vegetable marrows, pumpkins, and 
gourds are well known as plants of use or ornament. As 
regards the cucumber, the many sorts in gardens and the 
great care and experience brought to bear upon their cultiva¬ 
tion, and the constant production of new varieties, attest to 
the popularity of this fruit as a vegetable. So changed do 
they seem to have been from any wild original, that it is diffi¬ 
cult to make out their origin ; but it may be noted, with all 
the varieties, that there is an occasional tendency to grow 
bitter fruit; such fruits, however, should be rejected, as there 
is reason to suppose that the bitter principle is referable to 
the elaterium before described, and its presence shows a ten¬ 
dency, even in the most refined cucumbers, to revert to a 
wilder form. Fruits grown with heat—that is, quickly and 
in a moist atmosphere—are generally more wholesome than 
those from the open garden, and should, therefore, be 
preferred. 
Melons like the former can be grown in no end of variety, 
each cultivator, for the most part, having produced a tc fa¬ 
vourite.” A so-called “ cattle melon” attracted some attention 
a few years since, as the large fruits were recommended as 
food for cattle. We can only say, from having tried it, that 
our disappointment has been great, as its production was but 
meagre. However, cattle will eat the fruits with avidity, and 
so they will any sweet varieties of the family. One very dry 
