SQUASH 



283 



Storing. Winter squash keep best in a dry atmos- 

 phere and at a cool temperature. They will, however, 

 keep well in a warm or even hot cellar or room, providing 

 it is dry, but will quickly rot in a moist atmosphere. They 

 will shrink more in weight in a warm than in a cool place. 

 They should be laid on shelves one tier deep, and never 

 piled up if it is desired to keep them long. When well 

 hardened without exposure to frost before storing, and 



l"g. 121. Squashes in winter storage. 



kept dry, many of the winter sorts are easily kept until 

 March, or even with some success as late as May. 



The quality of squash varies somewhat according to 

 the land on which it is grown. Sandy loam is generally 

 believed to produce the best flavored dry-flesh squash, 

 but the quality also varies according to the season. 



Summer Varieties (Cucurbita pepo). Summer Crook- 

 neck is a summer sort, generally with a crooked neck, that 



