1940s Seed Packet
Lemon Cucumber
Speaking of Seeds
A few years ago, I was talking with some workers who were repairing the interior walls of a nearby house that had sustained damage from frozen water pipes. Behind the crumbling lathe and plaster, they found old newspapers and as I groped around behind the damaged wall to see what else was there, I found an old empty seed package. It was from Crosman's Seed Corp. of East Rochester, N. Y. and Hayward, Cal. "Famous for Seeds Since 1838". The packet design was patented in 1934 and the seeds were packed for 194?. When could you buy a 40 gram packet of seeds for 10 cents? They were Lemon Cucumber, which are described as follows: "It is similar in appearance to a lemon and is used for pickling or the seeds can be removed and then is stuffed with a relish. This cucumber is a boon to those who are distressed after eating the common cucumber as this fruit can be easily digested."

Does anyone remember Crosman's? Here's the description of Fedco's #370 Lemon Cucumber: "Salad chefs and backyard gardeners have rediscovered this specialty variety which dates back to 1894. Heavy yields of rounded yellow-skinned 3" fruits shaped somewhat like lemons. Very crisp and sweet; never get bitter and one of the best for eating right out of the garden."

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