SC - Toys for Tots and other comments

[LrdRas@aol.com]

In a message dated 8/5/00 3:45:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jenne at tulgey.browser.net writes:

<< What _is_ the period European 'pompion', aka 'pumpkin'? It appears before
 Columbus, and Walafrid of Strabo (10th century) notes that the big ones
 are suitable for making 'bushels' -- bushel baskets-- out of. Which means
 that they were somewhat globular and also big enough to carry stuff in
 when hollowed out. They were also eaten; they appear on the account books
 for the reign of Jadwiga and Jagiello in Poland (1386-1399).
 
 Does anyone have any kind of lead on this? >>

Bushel basket gourd seeds are commonly available at local seed outlets and 
through most seed catalogs under the 'Unusual' category. They are edible when 
young and are Old World in origin. There are many other edible gourd species 
such as snake gourds, and Italian edible gourds. The subject of edible gourds 
has been discussed in detail several times and should be available in the 
archives of the list or in Stefan's Florethingy.

Ras
The test of good manners is to be patient with bad ones.- Solomon Ibn Gabirol
http://members.aol.com/AbhainnCG/