Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-25
UTILITY OF THE GOURD
USEFUL IN SOUTHERN STATES IN
ITS VARIOUS SHAPES
Takes the Place of the Tin Dipper or
the Cup-Good to Drink
From.


From the petroit News-Tribune.
Stopping at a farm house in any of our
southern states of North America and ask
ing for water the tourist will be directed to
help himself at the well, where a gourd
dipper hangs in readiness. In the south
there is seldom found farm house where
many gourd utensils are not in evidence,
and the tourist will not be long in finding
that in some of the poorer homesteads, and,
In fact. in a great many of the well-to-do
farm houses, they are the only known re-
ceptacles for water. milk, food, soap and
the various articles found in country
kitchens.
When a southern farmer is about to plant
his fields and garden in the spring of the
year. ne never neglects to plant few gourd
seeds He selects some out-of-the-way
place near Fail fence. barn, hen house or
some other outbuilding. where other
vegetable could grow and flourish. The
vines, which are similar in appearance to
those of the pumpkins, are allowed to run
free and wild over the ground. and when
the gcurds begin 10 grow they will assume
curious shapes.
The Blossoming Vine.
The poisoning of the gourd vine is much
after the fashion of that of the pumpkin
and then the gourd begins to grow. At an
early age it assumes a shape which it will
hold until fuIl-grown. The gourd must be
allowed to hang upon the vines until a
heavy frost occurs. for should it be picked
sooner 1t will only shrivGl up and be use
less. After the frost has killed the vines,
they are gathered and stored away to be-
come dry and hard. often the outer skin is
scraped off while the gOurd is still green.
but the rind is not cut until the gOurd has
become hard and seasoned. Then a saw is
used. and If the gOurd has been allowed 70
stand for two or three years, it will be
found to be as hard as walnut.
h 2 lrv-i no inst do &c
scraped out. the shell boiled in a strong So
luton of I've. and sometimes buried in the
sands or left in a creek for two or three
weeks. After the gOurd has been thor
oughIy cleaned 1t does not require any fur
Their care, with the exception of Occa-
sIonal securing with sand and wash with
soap and water.
Queer Shapes.
A gourd during it's growth can be made
10 assume MAN. queer and fantastic shapes
by little def work every day for a short
time. The handle can be tied into a knot,
and by placing a growing gourd between
two boards It can be made to grow into
the shape of a flask or bottle which will
fit the pocket. and may be used either a
powder horn. nursing bottle whisky
flask Those with long necks make excel
lent Clippers.
Every southern housewife has a small
sized gourd tor holding salt, one for flour,
one for pepper and other condiments and a
large one for lard butter, corn. beans and
other vegetables.
A prominent object in the yard of nearly
every southern farmhouse is a large pole
erected in the center Of the yard, with a
cross-bar at the top. which closely resem-
bles a modern telegraph pole. on which are
seen harging five or six gOurds attached to
a string each gOurd having a capacity of
about two quarts each. with small hole
bored in the side. The gourds are intended
for the accommodation of the small bird
known the martin These birds are bit
ter enemies OF hawks and owls. and will
not allow theE@ predatory creatures to
come near a house in which they live. and
therefore serve the purpose of protecting
the poultry.
Gourds; as Life Preservers.
When the small boy in the south desires
to learn to swim. several hoIIowed-out, air
tight gourds attached to leather belt will
answer the purpose of a Iife-preserver, as
they are surprisingly buoyant and three
or four small ones will easily support
heavy man.
The southern milkmaid depends largely
upon it for the greater part of her work
The housewife pTideS herself on her milking
gourds. which are kept white and clean by
constant scOuringS and scaldings. Large
gourds are used as hen nests, water is
carried to the farmhandS in the fields in a
large gOurd bucket, the tinsmth and shoe
maker keep their tools in a gOurd chest;
they are also used as hanging baskets and
when decorated and the edges scalloped
make very pretty ones. In a thousand diff
ferent ways the gOurd is of the greatest
use to all southern families and is appre-
ciated as in no other place in the world
The origin of the plant is a subject en-
shrOuded in mystery, but it's undoubted an
tiquity, no less than its many remarkable
Qualities. entitle it to rank first in the king
dom of plants