CHOKO VINE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1058, 23 August 1930, Page 28

CHOKO VINE

Perhaps no vegetable calls for such little cultural attention or responds with such bountiful crops as the choko (Sechium Edule). Of late years this useful plant has come into great prominence, due largely to its extremely easy culture and phenomenal liberality. The Mexican name for this vegetable is “Chayotte.” In the West Indies it is called “Chocho,” which is the nearest approach to the New Zealand corruption, “choko." It iB a climbing vine, producing an immense quantity of light green foli-, age, and is of very vigorous growth. The choko enjoys the distinction of being the most prolific bearer among the Cucurbitaeae, from which family it differs in that it only has one seed.

It is very easily propagated by planting the whole fruit. When the seed has germinated, a plumule or sprout emerges from between the cotyledons, and this sprout will continue green for a very long period, even when lying unburied.

Almost any soil suits its purpose, but when given a warm, sunny position in conjunction with well enriched soil, its cropping qualities are nothing short of remarkable. So prolific is it in some districts that it is grown in large quantities for feeding dairy cattle, pigs, etc. But it is well worthy of inclusion among the very limited variety of garden vegetables.

For the home plot tha ideal support would be an outhouse, or some similar structure, or, bettor still, a specially constructed device with latticed roof where the fruit could hang down between.

Fences and fowlhouses also afford useful support and the wealth of foliage it produces, which cannot be described as unsightly, constitutes an excellent summer shelter or screen. The fruit, which is borne in great numbers, should be picked for table when young and tender, and cooked similarly to squashes or marrows. The choko requires no particular cultivation, but, like most plants, responds readily to any manurial treatment bestowed upon it by more bountiful yields. One plant is quite sufficient to meet the requirements of an average family. Indeed, from a single plant as inauy as 400 chokos have been gathered. Plant the choko on its side about six inches below the surface in a wellmanured patch of deeply-dug soil. There are two varieties—green and white.