The vegetable marrow was introduced within these few years from Persia, and has been found useful for culinary purposes in every stage of its growth. In a very young state it is good when fried with butter; but the author recommends to let it have a more mature growth, when, after being parboiled, it should be cut in quarters and stewed in good rich gravy, and seasoned to the taste; in this way it will be found a very agreeable dish, wholesome and nutritious.

The large or common gourd, which often grows to above a hundred weight, has a very thick flesh, and keeps well throughout the winter. In France, after being well boiled, the flesh is taken out and mashed, in the manner of potatoes; and should it happen to be tried in this country, it will be found, if not excellent, at least a tolerable substitute for carrots and turnips.

Culture.

The seed may be sown about the middle of April, on a slight heat, either in a frame or under a hand-glass; if in a frame, the most convenient way will be to sow the seed in middlesized pots, which should be nearly filled with some light rich earth, within which the seed should be pressed down half an inch. They will soon come up ; and, on showing a rough leaf, they must be taken up and planted two in a pot, similar to the cucumber or melon, but with more earth and larger pots. When finished, they will require a moderate heat and shade, with a little water, until they seem firmly rooted; after which air should be admitted more or less, according to the weather, and that they may be gradually hardened to bear the open air when

turned out about the middle or third week in May, at which time some place should be selected to plant them in. They are not very particular as to the soil they grow in. Any light piece of ground, previously manured and broken up, will answer; or they may be planted on a heap of good manure, or on an old hot-bed; in short, any place will do, in which they have room to extend their trailing branches, which often grow to eight or ten feet in length.

For eight or ten days after the plants are turned out of the pots, they should be covered at night with a garden-pot, which will cause them to root earlier, and will prevent their receiving any sudden check from a change of weather. They require little further attention, except to clear them of weeds and to gather their fruit, in the produce of which they are very prolific, each growing a dozen or more (supposing them to be cut young) during the season; and the closer the fruit is cut the greater will be the quantity.

In saving seed of this variety, it should certainly be kept apart from any other of its species, otherwise the pulpy substance of the fruit will be lessened in taste and flavour, and its present handsome oval shape will be deteriorated.

67. WATER CRESS.

SISYMBRIUM.

The botanic name of the water cress alludes to its warm and cordial qualities, which were thought to infuse life into dull and stupid persons, and to brighten the understanding of those who eat of it:

hence the ancient proverb, "eat cress and learn more wit."

Water cresses have been famed for their antiscorbutic quality; and they may be eaten at all times of the year, but more particularly in the spring. "Create a demand, and you raise a supply," is a proverb exemplified in the manner by which the industrious mechanics of the immense metropolis of England are furnished with this purifying plant; for scarcely is there a street so obscure, or a court so humble, where a March morning is not ushered in by the chaunt of "fine spring water cresses." They are often brought from distant countries, and sold by the sack. Many other good qualities besides those mentioned above are assigned to the water cress, and it is particularly recommended to the English, who (as before observed) consume so great a quantity of animal food.

Water cresses are found growing in clear rivulets and springs throughout Europe, from Sweden to Greece, as well as in North America.

No British plant is in such popular request as a salad herb, the young leaves having a pleasant warm pungent flavour, and being supposed, like the scurvy grass, to purify the blood.

Before entering on the culture of the water cress, a few words may not be amiss in describing the genuine sort, as the gatherers of this herb, either through ignorance or some worse motive, often substitute a spurious kind in its place, which is generally the creeping water parsnip, Sium nodiflorum, a plant with few medicinal qualities, and in some respects pernicious.

Both the sorts have winged leaves like those of the rose or ash trees; the water cress is of a roundish heart-like shape, with few indentures on the edges, much resembling the first leaves of the radish; the upper part of which, after more mature growth, is of a reddish-brown colour: those of the water parsnip are of a light green, and of an oblong shape, ending in a point, and regularly serrated at the edges.

Culture. Water cresses are most esteemed when grown in running streams and a gravelly soil. Those who can introduce water through their gardens may plant the roots in the spring in a kind of canal of six or twelve inches depth of water. After these plants have been suffered to seed, the bed will become one mass of cress for many years; if the descent is considerable, it will be necessary to form little dams to prevent the current from washing up the roots.

Those who have large pieces of water on their ground may obtain them by the simple process of throwing the plants on the surface of the water, when they will ripen their seed and soon propagate in abundance.

Of late years, many acres of water cresses have been planted, for the supply of the London markets, in the low lands of Essex and the adjoining counties, and more especially where the land can be irrigated and drained at pleasure.

The soil on which the plants thrive best is in such situations where there is a strong loam ; here beds may be formed three or four feet wide, in which plants may be set either in March or

April, at about six inches apart, and watered. They will soon establish themselves, and the only culture they will require afterwards is to keep them generally in a moist state during the summer, as the absence of moisture would be destructive to a number of plants. If kept in the state mentioned, they will continue for a number of years growing and producing in abundance.

Erysimum præcox, early hedge mustard. The English name denotes its qualities; in taste it is nearly like the common mustard. The botanic name is derived from its hot and biting nature; that of præcox, the specific, from its early growth in spring.

The winter cress may be cultivated either as an annual, biennial, or perennial. It is a native of this country, and of other parts of Europe, and supposed to be also of America; but this is doubtful, as the French sent many varieties of seed from Europe while in possession of the northern part of that country, which was wrested from them, in the early part of the author's life, by the immortal Wolfe, on the plains or heights of Abraham, near Quebec. The author well remembers the illuminations, rejoicings, and firing of cannon, which continued, almost without interruption, for three days, on account of the victory.

The winter cress is a useful herb, the young leaves being a principal ingredient in salads, more or less, all the year round. Of late years it has been