Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-10-12

grow on vine, much like a cucumber,
the size OF an orange, or rather larger
a beautiful fruit, of yellow or orange
co:or, OF most fragrant smell, but |
have never tasted one; they are said to
be most delicious when preserved
There are many sorts of sweet melons,
and much difference of size in the various
! kinds; | have only noticed musk, of a
large size; and nutmeg, smaller one !;
and "a small pale-colorcd melon of a rich
taste; but there are other sorts with
which | am unacquainted. Waterme-
Ions are also in great plenty, of vast size !;
some, suppose, weigh twenty pounds !;
they are more like pumpkins in outward
appearance, than melons; they are round
and oblong, generally green, or green
and whitish color on the outside, and white
or pale on the inside, with many black
seeds in them; very juicy in flavor. like
a>rch water; 10, sweet and mawkish,
but cool and pleasant. After people are
accustomed 10 them, they generally pre-
Ter them to sweet melons; they are con-
sidered extremely whoesd me in warm
climates, as they quench thirst and are
not teverish.
Persimon is fruit many people are
lond OF; it is something Hike medlar.
Papaws, or pawpaws, grow in clusters
ct three or four on shrub twenty feet
nigh the fruit is three inches long, and
about an inch thick; in shape something
Exc cucumber, OF a yellow color; in
flavor something like pine, but not so
rich. Straw berries, nearly the same as
scarIets, excellent, and in some places
in great abundance. We one day ga
,hercd more than peck of beautiful
strawberries. IN my orchard and we got
a great many at other times they made
excellent pies. Raspberries are small
and dry. Cherries grow in punches, the
same as curranis, very small and bitter,
May-applc is yearly plant, OF only two
leaves; the stalk is one foot high; the
fruit the size of a small apple, of a straw
color, with some small seeds very plea
SAINT tasted. Plums are mostly small and
sour; bat there are some whose flavor
resembles that of a goosebarry. have
before remarked on the excellence oil the
biackberries. The eldenberries arc fine,
but generally eaten by the birds as soon
IS coiored. Pecan is sort of walnut,
said to be the finest nut in this country.
" mite walnut, or butiernut, and black
walnut, are uoI SO good as the English
walnut. Hazlenuts are in vast quanti-
ties; the shells hard, but the kernels
good. have some earth nuts, growing
in my garden; the green Of them some
thing ike clover, or rather like lucern;
they blow with small yellow blossom
| planted them in rows, and earfhed them
like potatoes; they have two kernels in
closed in husk, about one inch long,
and as large round"
The green ears of corn are eaten
boiled or roasted, the latter mostly by
the americans, who call all green ears,
roasting cars. The price Of corn |asi
year was mostly so cents bushel deli
vered, and now so cents in the place.
But near us there is very little TO be pro-
cured AT any price. On the Wabash,
where the country has been longer set
tied, ii Is lower and plentiful. IL is ga
thered in October and November, when
they only rake of the ears; but as the
ears are covered vita a large husls, they
carry them as they are to the corn-crib,
and then all the neighbors collect toge-
Their to help to husk it, and put it into the
corn-crib. This is high day with the
Americans, and is called huskins fro
lie plenty ofw hiskcy is generally to be
was present bnt at one suppose there
were near forty people present; did
10, stop, but understood il concluded
with dance. We did not make any
trolic in huskiDg our corn, but did i, our
selves; but the Americans seldom do
any tang without having one. Thus,
they have hu,kins, reaping, rolling fro
lies, sc. Among the females, they have
picking, sewing, and quilting frolics.-
Reaping frolics are parties to reap the
whole growth of wheat, sc. in one day.
Rolling frolics are clearing wood-land,
when many trees are cut down and into
lengths, to roll them up together SO as to
burn them, and to pile up the brushwood
and roots ON he trees. | think this is
useful, as one man or his family can DO
but little in removing large quantities OF
heavy timber. Picking cotton, sewing,
and quilting trolics, are meetings to pick
cotton from the seeds, make clothes, or
quilt quilts; in the latter the American
women pride themselves. Whiskey is
here too in request, and they generally
conclude with dance.
I" RaisiDgs, are a number Of men get
ting together to raise apiece of build