In my young days I was laughed at so much for pulling green melons (for I could not decide when ripe by thumping) that I put my wits to work to decide in some other way ; and after experimenting for years I at last learned to tell very easily, and will give the results of my experiments for the benefit of any who may ever be in a like dilemma. My plan is this: I draw my thumbnail over the melon, scraping off the thin green skin. If the edges of the skin on each side of the scar are left ragged or granulated, and the rind under the scar is smooth, firm and white, and has something of a glassy appearance, the melon is ripe. But if the edges of the scar are smooth and even, and the thumbnail has dug into the rind in places, and the skin does not come off clean, then the melon is green. You can easily learn on two melons, one ripe and the other green (after they have been cut open), and noting the difference. - Ex.

Contribution to the Etymology of the Word "Apricot." - The derivation of "apricot" from "praecox" which you say (American Garden, May 1888, p. 208) is the accepted explanation, but not satisfactory to you, seems to me not only rather far fetched but etymologicalty incorrect. *

To make this plain, one has only to look at the names of the fruit in modern languages. We have in English "Apricot," in German "Apricose" and in French "Apricot." These are evidently derived from the same source. My purpose is to show that the Latin had nothing to do with the English name of the fruit. Of the three languages mentioned above, French is unquestionably nearest to Latin, English next and German furthest from it. It would then follow that the word passed from Latin into French and in the passage underwent an important change, changing p into b; this, too, in a prefix very common in French (Latin " prae," French "pre "). This looks suspicious, especially when one considers how very particular the French are about distinguishing b and p. But the next step is still more incredible. While French, the careful daughter of Latin, failed to get the correct word from her mother, German, the careless alien, gets the pure article, notwithstanding the general indifference shown by most Germans as to distinctions between b and p, d and t, etc. This seems to me absurd.

Again " in those early times, say a couple of thousand years ago," when the apricot is supposed to have been called "Praecox" by the Romans, these same Romans had a military post called Turicum in Helvetia. To-day in the same place (Zurich, Switzerland) the fruit is grown and known as "barilla" (I give it as near as I can as it is sounded, for the dialect spoken there is not written).

Now if the fruit was known among the Romans at that time "praecox" why did the inhabitants not adopt the same name ? Why and where did they get "barilla?" Since the fruit did not originate there, but was probably introduced by the Romans, it would seem that the people would naturally adopt the name with the fruit. The only reason I can give for the use by the natives of that neighborhood of a name so very different from those used by their neighbors, is that the Romans did not call the fruit "praecox," but something similar to "barilla," as evidenced by the Spanish name "albericogne," from which take the Arabic article "al" and we have the root of the word "beri," which is much like " bari" the root of the Swiss dialect word. Very likely the Romans had received the name with the fruit from ar menia and it would no doubt be interesting to trace it in that language, or, that failing, I would suggest ancient Irish for a clue to what the Romans really did call it. At any rate, I am not aware that anyone has proved conclusively that they called it "praecox." It seems to me the word " apricot" admits of a much simpler explanation.

I believe it to be French and derived from the contraction of the French words "abie " a sheltered place and " cote," a side of a house, or "cote" a slope or hillside. Upon a sheltered side of a house or a sheltered hillside, the fruit is usually grown in the central latitudes of Europe. The German and English names I consider merely corruptions of the French original. - F. J. Muller, Birmingham, Alabama . The Gouml. - We have lately had specimens of this novel fruit from Messrs. H. H. Berger & Co., of San Francisco. We find the pretty little red, gold-flecked berries pleasant eating, and we see no reason why the plant should not become a pleasant addition to our gardens. It is closely allied to the buffet-berry of our west, being a member of the genus elaeagnus (E. pungens. Messrs. Berger wrote as follows concerning it: "We do not know whether this berry-bearing shrub is generally known in the United States, but it is certainly of great merit, bearing when quite young, and in profuse quantity. The fruit is eaten in Japan raw, or pickled or in the usual way of preserves in sugar. Either way it is a most palatable and healthful fruit. Owing to its character of deciduousness, it would no doubt prove hardy in the eastern states.

When fully ripe, it loses the acrid taste it possesses when half ripe, and acquires a pleasant aromatic flavor. We have made jelly of a small portion of fruit, and it is far more pleasant than even currant jelly. The bushes grow very rapidly and adapt themselves to almost any soil. The foliage, with its silvery underside, is very ornamental. Altogether, especially owing to hardiness and other qualities, it ought to be widely known and recommended".

The Goumi.