202 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cept the kinds that are ripe or ready to harvest before the squash 

 vines cover the soil. For the same reason it is well to keep all of the 

 weeds out until the vines take possession of the ground given to 

 them. If we raise a good crop of weeds, we shall raise a meagre 

 crop of vegetables. 



"W e should decide which of the best varieties we want to plant and 

 plant only one kind in a patch. For if we try to improve some 

 strain by hybridizing, we are apt to raise a lot of worthless squashes. 

 Let the state experiment station do the hybridizing' or originating' 

 of the new varieties. We ought to be satisfied if we can by selection 

 improve the varieties now in cultivation. 



For summer and fall use the Orange Marrow is a very good kind; 

 for winter use the Hubbard and the Marblehead are the best. I 

 prefer the last named sort for two reasons: it is a good bearer and 

 of extra good quality, besides having the hardest shell of the squash 

 family, which protects it from being bruised when handled. 



Let us always plant northern or home grown seed, and we shall 

 not find a large per cent of our squashes are unripe when their grow- 

 ing season is over. Let us always store our squashes in a dry place — 

 let it be dry not only above but even under them, and we shall be 

 surprised to see perfectly sound squashes even late in spring. 



Mr. Dewain Cook: Will pumpkins and squash mix? 



Mr. Jerabek: Some of the squashes lose their good quality; 

 they will not do so well if planted together, even if other kinds 

 are planted several rods away. If there are plenty of bees 

 around, they should be planted ten rods apart. 



Mr. Harris: Yes, about three miles apart. 



Mr. Reeves (Iowa): Will other squashes mix with squashes, 

 melons and cucumbers? 



Mr. Elliot: I have had considerable experience in growing 

 squashes, and I find a large majority of the vine family will 

 mix more or less. It is well if you want to save specimens for 

 seed to plant them remote from any other vine. 



Mr. Rideout: Would you recommend cutting vines back? 



Mr. Jerabek: I tried that plan once. I cut part of the vine 

 off those that had squashes on, and by doing that I raised on 

 about a dozen hills two wagon loads of squashes. The place 

 where I raised them was the site of an old straw stack, and I 

 had to haul a load of dirt on the place before I could set the 

 plants. 



Mr. T. T. Smith: Last summer I drove out to the Chandler 

 place. He makes a specialty of growing squash for the east- 

 ern market. He has a squash house where he keeps them un- 

 til he ships them east. I think the building is about sixteen 

 feet high, and there were racks made just far enough apart to 

 place squashes on, so no two would rest on each other. 



