The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-04-21
Japan Apple Pie Melon.


Transmit what information have in my
possession in regard to the above named
melon. My own experience is confined
to one years cultivation. My first intima
ton of the existence of such vegetable
was by a notice in the Country Gentleman,
taken from the California Farmer. / at
once began contriving some way to get
the seeds. This I finally effected by
writing to Mr.. White, of GA. planted
them on new prairie, and cultivated
them thoroughly. They grew well and
produced luxuriantly. had half-a-doz-
en- good melons to each vine. cannot
see that their cultivation is in any way
more difficult than the cucumber. To
cook them. first pare as pumpkins, and
then slice like apple, and put into the
bake tin, the same as apples for pies
add little vinegar, and sweeten to your
taste, and they will be not only as good
to the taste as apple pies, but cannot be
distinguished from them. The addition
of extract Of lemon, or tartaric acid,
makes them yet better than the vinegar
for pies or sauce. | will append the
notices from differnt individuals Of this
melon which have appeared in the Coun-
try Gentleman of Albany, New York
Wilson J. Rallson, of Ohio, says,
Messrs. Editors-Enclosed | send you
a package Of the seed Of this celebrated
melon, which l hope you will give fair
trial the coming season. They are
japanese melon, brought thence by Com
modore Perry. When well grown they
often weigh from a5 to 40 lbs - of
cylindrical form. and when perfectly
matured are of a light golden color.
with fine, firm grained flesh. Their fla
vor is nothing extra when cooked with
out the addition oflemon juice and sugar.
then they are very aEellent. For pre-
serves, they have 1uol Ifkept in
dry, cool cellar they will remain good
through the whole winter" Mr.. L.
Norris, before quoted in the Farmer,
farther says To prepare them for pies,
peal and cut up small, taking out the
seeds, soft pulp, &c. Put them in
preserving kettle, with just water enough
to keep them from burning, and stew
over a tolerably brisk fire for thtee or
four hours, or until the whole is reduced
to thin pulpy mass, free from Jumps
and entirely done You have then
substance resembling apples stewed, and
by adding little sugar and lemon juice
to it, and making itup with crust in the
usual way, it is impossible to tell it from
fresh apple pies. Little of either of these
ingredients is necessary, only enough to
give flavor and color. Ii skillfully pre-
pared, these melons will be found an i'm
portant auxiliary to the housewife during
fall and winter, for ifkept from frost, will
remain sound and good until March. -
J. III. Hopkins, of Oneida, New York.
says; +" AS its name indicates, its chief
excellence is for pies. would say.
speaking from experience, that it makes
good pies. The flesh is perfectly white
and very solid through, but cooks easi-
ly, and when cooked cannot be distin-
guished by looks from green apples
stewed. 1t is good for preserves. but its
chief excellence is found in its value for
pies. lis keeping qualities are good.
melons having been kept till March,"
From the above we learn the opinion of
three correspondents of that excellent
paper. the Country Gentleman. and l
have never seen any contradictory state
ments. Mr.. H. received the first premi-
um of the Oneida Co. Ag. Society at its
Fair last fall for this melon.-W. Il.
GARDNER, Amboy, Lee Co.. H., March
1s.-Northwestern Prairie Farmer.