The Description.

            1. The Citrul Cucumber hath many long, flexible, and tender stalks trailing upon the ground, branched like unto the Vine, set with certain great leaves deeply cut and very much jagged: among which come forth long clasping tendrils, and also tender footstalks, on the ends whereof do grow flowers of a gold yellow colour: the fruit is somewhat round, streaked or ribbed with certain deep furrows alongst the same, of a green colour above, and underneath on that side that lieth upon the ground something white: the outward skin whereof is very smooth; the meat within is indifferent hard, more like to that of the Pumpkin than of the Cucumber or Musk Melon: the pulp wherein the seed lieth, is spongy, and of a slimy substance: the seed is long, flat, and greater than those of the Cucumbers: the shell or outward bark is blackish, sometimes of an overworn reddish colour. The fruit of the Citrul doth not so easily rot or putrefy as doth the Melon, which being gathered in a fair dry day may be kept a long time, especially being covered in a heap of wheat, as Matthiolus saith; but according to my practise you may keep them much longer and better in a heap of dry sand.

            2. The second kind of Citrul differeth not from the former, saving that it is altogether lesser, and the leaves are not so deeply cut or jagged, wherein consisteth the difference.

The Place and Time.

            The Citrul prospereth best in hot regions, as in Sicily, Apulia, Calabria, and Syria about Aleppo and Tripoli. We have many times sown the seeds, and diligently observed the order prescribed in planting of Cucumbers.

The Names.

            The later herbarists do call it Anguria: in shops, Citrullus, and Cucumus Citrullus: in English, Citruls, and Cucumber Citruls, and the seed is known by the name of Semen Citrulli: or Citrul seed. But if Cucumis Citrullus, be so called of the yellow colour of the Citron, then is the common Cucumber properly Cucumis Citrulus: which is known unto all to be contrary.

The Temperature and Virtues.

            A. The meat or pulp of Cucumber Citrul which is next unto the bark is eaten raw, but more commonly boiled: it yieldeth to the body little nourishment, and the same cold: it engendereth a waterish blood, mitigateth the extremity of heat of the inner parts, and tempereth the sharpness and fervent heat of choler: being raw and held in the mouth, it takes away the roughness of the tongue in agues, and quencheth thirst.

            B. The seeds are of the like faculty with those of Cucumbers.