The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Part 31

_Manchester Prize._--This, like the Nepal, is one of the largest of the English greenhouse prize varieties. It sometimes measures two feet in length, and weighs twelve pounds. In favorable seasons, it will attain a large size in open culture, and sometimes perfect its seed.

_Nepal._--One of the largest of all varieties; length about twenty-four inches; weight ten to twelve pounds.

_Norman's St.i.tchworth-Park Hero._--A recently introduced variety, hardy, long, handsome, very prolific, and fine flavored.

_Old Sion House._--Length about nine inches. This is a well-tried, winter, forcing variety. Like the Improved Sion House, it also succeeds well in open culture. Quality good, though the extremities are sometimes bitter.

_Prize-fighter._--Length about sixteen inches. Good for the summer crop or for exhibition.

_Rifleman._--This variety is described as one of the best prize cuc.u.mbers. It has a black spine; always grows very even from stem to point, with scarcely any handle; carries its bloom well; keeps a good fresh color; and is not liable to turn yellow as many other sorts.

Length twenty-four to twenty-eight inches. An abundant bearer.

_Ringleader._--A prominent prize sort, about fifteen inches in length.

It succeeds well, whether grown under gla.s.s or in the open ground.

_Roman Emperor._--Length twelve to fifteen inches.

_Southgate._--This variety has been p.r.o.nounced the most productive, and the best for forcing, of all the prize sorts. It is not so late as many of the English varieties, and will frequently succeed well if grown in the open ground.

_Victory of Bath._--Length about seventeen inches. Well adapted for forcing or for the general crop.

LONG GREEN p.r.i.c.kLY.

Long p.r.i.c.kly. Early Long Green p.r.i.c.kly.

This is a large-sized variety, and somewhat later than the White-spined.

The plant is a strong grower, and the foliage of a deep-green color; the fruit is about seven inches in length, straight, and generally angular; skin dark-green, changing to yellow as the fruit approaches maturity,--when fully ripe, it is reddish-brown, and is often reticulated about the insertion of the stem; p.r.i.c.kles black; flesh white, somewhat seedy, but crisp, tender, and well flavored.

The Long Green p.r.i.c.kly is hardy and productive; makes a good pickle, if plucked while young; and is well deserving of cultivation. It differs from the London Long Green and the Long Green Turkey in its form, which is much thicker in proportion to its length; and also in the character of its flesh, which is more pulpy and seedy.

LONG GREEN TURKEY.

Extra Long Green Turkey.

A distinct and well-defined variety; when full grown, sometimes measuring nearly eighteen inches in length. Form long and slender, contracted towards the stem in the form of a neck, and swollen towards the opposite extremity; seeds few, and usually produced nearest the blossom-end. The neck is generally solid. While the fruit is young, the skin is deep-green; afterwards it changes to clear yellow, and finally a.s.sumes a rusty-yellow or yellowish-brown. Flesh remarkably firm and crisp; exceeding, in these respects, that of any other variety. Very productive and excellent.

Its remarkably firm and crispy flesh, and the absence of seeds, render it serviceable for the table after it has reached a very considerable size. For the same reasons, it may be pickled at a stage of its growth when other more seedy and pulpy sorts would be comparatively worthless.

SHORT p.r.i.c.kLY.

Short Green p.r.i.c.kly. Early Short Green p.r.i.c.kly.

This variety somewhat resembles the Long p.r.i.c.kly; but it is shorter, and proportionally thicker. Its length, when suitable for use, is about four inches. Skin p.r.i.c.kly, green, changing to yellow at maturity; flesh transparent greenish-white, rather seedy, but tender, crisp, and fine flavored.

The variety is very hardy and productive, comes early into fruit, and is one of the best for pickling. It is a few days later than the Early Cl.u.s.ter.

UNDERWOOD'S SHORT p.r.i.c.kLY.

This is an improved variety of the common Short p.r.i.c.kly, and is the best of all the sorts for extensive cultivation for pickling. The plant is hardy and productive. The fruit, when young, is very symmetrical, and of a fine deep-green color. Its flesh is characterized by extraordinary crispness and solidity. When more advanced, the color becomes paler, and the flesh more soft and seedy. The fruit, at maturity, is yellow.

WHITE SPANISH.

The form of this variety is similar to that of the White-spined. The fruit measures about five inches in length, two inches in diameter, and is generally somewhat ribbed. When suitable for use, the skin is white; a characteristic by which the variety is readily distinguished from all others. The flesh is crisp, tender, and well flavored. At maturity, the fruit is yellow.

WHITE-SPINED.

Early White-spined. New-York Market.

This very distinct variety is extensively grown for marketing, both at the North and South. The plants grow from six to ten feet in length; and, like those of the Early Frame, are of a healthy, luxurious habit.

The fruit is of full medium size, straight, and well formed; about six inches in length, and two inches and a half in diameter. Skin deep-green; p.r.i.c.kles white; flesh white, tender, crispy, and of remarkably fine flavor. As the fruit ripens, the skin gradually becomes paler; and, when fully ripe, is nearly white: by which peculiarity, in connection with its white spines, the variety is always readily distinguishable.

The White-spined is one of the best sorts for the table; and is greatly prized by market-men on account of its color, which is never changed to yellow, though kept long after being plucked. It is generally thought to retain its freshness longer than any other variety, and consequently to be well fitted for transporting long distances; though, on account of its peculiar color, the freshness may be less real than apparent.

For the very general dissemination of this variety, the public are, in a great degree, indebted to the late I. P. Rand, Esq., of Boston, whose integrity as a merchant, and whose skill as a practical vegetable cultivator and horticulturist, will be long remembered.

EGYPTIAN CUc.u.mBER.

Hairy Cuc.u.mber. Round-leaved Egyptian. Concombre chate. _Vil._ Cuc.u.mis chate.

This is a tender, annual plant, with an angular, creeping stem, and alternate, somewhat heart-shaped, leaves. The flowers are axillary, about an inch in diameter, and of a pale-yellow color; the fruit is small, oblong, and very hairy.

It is of little value as an esculent, and is rarely cultivated. The fruit is sometimes eaten in its green state, and also when cooked.

According to d.u.c.h.esne, the Egyptians prepare from the pulp a very agreeable and refreshing beverage.

Plant and cultivate as directed for melons or cuc.u.mbers.

GLOBE CUc.u.mBER.

Concombre des prophetes. _Vil._ Cuc.u.mis prophetarum.

A tender annual from Arabia. Stem slender, creeping, and furnished with tendrils, or claspers. The leaves are about three inches in diameter, five-lobed, and indented on the borders; the flowers are axillary, yellow, and nearly three-fourths of an inch in diameter; the fruit is round, and rarely measures an inch in thickness; skin striped with green and yellow, and thickly set with rigid hairs, or bristles; the seeds are small, oval, flattened, and of a yellowish color.

_Planting and Culture._--The seeds should be planted at the time of planting cuc.u.mbers or melons, in hills four or five feet apart, and covered about half an inch deep. Thin to two or three plants to a hill.

_Use._--The fruit is sometimes eaten boiled; but is generally pickled in its green state, like the common cuc.u.mber.

As a table vegetable, it is comparatively unimportant, and not worthy of cultivation.