Plants in Early American Gardens - West Indian Gherkin

West Indian Gherkin (Cucumis anguria)

The “gerkin,” which bears many small, cucumber-like fruits covered in blunt spines, was a common crop in the Monticello vegetable garden. Jefferson recommended it to his brother, Randolph, in 1813: “the season being over for planting everything but the Gerkin. It is that by which we distinguish the very small pickling cucumber.” This was likely the West Indian Gherkin, a native of Africa brought to the Caribbean through the slave trade, then reputedly introduced from Jamaica in 1792 by Richmond seed merchant Minton Collins.

1764 Plants in 18C Colonial American Gardens - Virginian John Randolph (727-1784) - Celeriac

A Treatise on Gardening Written by a native of this State (Virginia)
Author was John Randolph (1727-1784)
Written in Williamsburg, Virginia about 1765
Published by T. Nicolson, Richmond, Virginia. 1793
The only known copy of this booklet is found in the Special Collections of the Wyndham Robertson Library at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.

Celeriac

Celeriac,...Radice rapacea, Turnep rooted, is to be treated much in the same manner as Celery, except that the drills of these should be shallower, as this plant does not exceed ten inches in height, and requires but one earthing. The excellence of this consists in the size of its root, which is often as large as turneps. In summer water your plants, if the season is dry, and in winter cover them with haum, or any open covering to protect them from frosts.
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Plants in Early American Gardens - Summer Crookneck Squash

Summer Crookneck Squash (Cucurbita pepo cv.)

Summer Crookneck Squash, also known as Summer Warted Crookneck, is a tropical vegetable grown by Native Americans, which is typically eaten when the fruit is young and tender. Jefferson received seed of the “long crooked and warted Squash” in 1807 from Timothy Matlack, who called it “our best Squash.”