A NEW VEGETABLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 28 May 1907, Page 4

A NEW VEGETABLE.

'J'lic cultivation of tlie ehayote, or. as it in usually culled, the ehoclio, in .Southern Queensland. is adding a very serviceable vegetable to the market and also to the table dietary, says a Brisbane correspondent. it is now grown in large ipiantities, and probably will soon be among the exports of other States. It has all the line ilavor of the marrows, and when dished up in a similar manner to them, it is a must pleasing and tasty vegetable. It is pear-shaped., and vatic., in color from a greenish yellow to a creamy white, and its firm, shelly outer coat prevents it irom being easily bruised 01 injured in ts transiuisson to the market. A native of Mexico and the West Indies, where it grows in gre.-ii abundance, and is often used as food for stock, it was introduced into Queensland by the Brisbane Acclimalsaton Society some few years ago, and has gradually won its way into favor, being now grown as a Vegetable iu many of the private and market gardens around the city; and on the Black-ball ranges it is much cultivated, where it is also used for feeding cattle, pigs and horses. It is propagated by planting one of the chochcs i" good rich soil and where there is a good uspply of water. Very ijuickly the .-,eed in the centre of the pulpy sub stance of the vegetable germinates and sprouts from the cotyledon and extends itself in a long creeping vine. A framework is soon covered, and one vine will sometimes bear as many as three liun;i|ed chochcs iu a season. The retail !"«' is often 11,1 to Is a dozen. .No signs of disease have as yet appeared on the vines, neither is the vegetable yt attacked by any insect or fungus pests. It ilnmum ' <" the ordinary destra.iui b,.ti'., of the gardener, and grows iixiniantiy, and when studded with its glistening , )( , in ..] ikl , comely show.