28 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



zation on the bees, rather than on the wind ; and the fact 

 (as a friend who has tested it, informs me) that if only a 

 high fence intervenes between two varieties, the admixture 

 between them is comparatively small, corroborates this 

 theory. To preserve the degree of purity that is neces- 

 sary in raising different varieties, requires planting at dis- 

 tances apart varying with the natural aspect of the coun- 

 try ; a level tract requires longer distances than would 

 be necessary in an undulating country, and a space inter- 

 vening abounding in flowers is a better protection 

 than an equal distance where flowers are less numerous. 

 The object is to get the pollen removed from the thighs 

 or bodies of the bees, or have it covered by the pollen of 

 other flowers, before they can pass from a field of one va- 

 riety of squash to that of another. My own practice is, to 

 secure the planting of one continuous district of country 

 with the same variety of squash, by giving to farmers, 

 whose lands are near my own, my stock seed for their own 

 planting. Even with this precaution matters will have to 

 be looked after, lest after all promise to the contrary, greed 

 can not master moral courage sufficiently, to induce them 

 to pull up the transient vines that spring up from the ma- 

 nure among cabbages or potatoes. Old farmers will pro- 

 fess, from the appearance of the calyx end, to classify 

 squashes as male or female ; this is all nonsense, for, as 

 will be inferred from what has been stated, every seed 

 from every squash contains the two sexes in itself, in its 

 capacity to produce both male and female flowers. 



Squash fields usually make about three settings of fruit. 

 I do not mean by tliis that each vine makes three settings, 

 but that this is usually true of a field as a whole. It often 

 happens, that most of one of their settings, usually the 

 second, turn yellow and rot, after many of the squashes 

 reach the size of goose eggs. This is very apt to take 

 place, should there be a cold, wet spell just after they 

 have set. Sometimes all three of the settings will grow, 



