The Virginia Gazette

In the Gazette, Numb. 55, which was publish'd August 19, 1737, we gave an Account of a Cucumber of the Turkey or Morocco Kind, that grew in Mr. Curtis's Garden, that Summer, which measured a Yard in Length, and near 14 Inches round the thickest Part of it.

In less than Two Months after, I found the following Paragraph in one of the Northern Papers, viz. Boston, October 3. Last Week was cut out of a Garden belonging to Capt. Wells, of Cambridge, in the County of Middlesex, Esq; a Water-Melon, that was in Circumference, both Ways, a Yard and an Eighth Part of a Yard, which weighed 36 Pounds and 10 Ounces; the largest we ever heard grew in this Province, or perhaps those adjacent. With this N. B. in different Characters, This Rarity we send to Virginia, in Return for their Cucumber.

---- If the Author of this Paragraph was ingenuous and candid in his Account, we receive his Present very kindly: But if he intended wittily to impose upon us an overgrown imaginary Water-melon, for a real Cucumber, supposing our Account to be false, and paying us with a Rowland for our Oliver; we must beg Leave to assure him, that the Description we gave of that Cucumber was true: and that from the Seed of it, and others of the same Kind, abundance of them have been propagated in several Gentlemens Gardens this Year; particularly in that of Mr. Thomas Nelson, Merchant, in York Town, who has one in his Garden, which measured (this Day) 40 Inches in Length; and has several others 3 Feet long: He had some this Year, which exceeded any of these in Size; but being ripe and wither'd, are now considerably shrunk. There are Two Species of them, one Green, the other White; the Green ones are largest, but both of 'em eat well.

As we have undeniable Proofs of the Truth of this Account, we venture to send it to the Norward, for Improvement, or Admiration.