SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 35 



nomize in fuel, on the two coldest sides, my squash-house 

 is double plastered, and has double windows all around; 

 some have inner w r ooden shutters to each window, which 

 are kept up during cold weather, both day and night, only 

 as much light being admitted, at times, as may be neces- 

 sary, while attending to work. The roof has five sliding 

 windows, which assist in ventilation and give light to the 

 upper part of the building, that otherwise would be quite 

 dark when filled with squashes. The stove is at one of 

 the coldest corners, with a funnel passing across to a 

 chimney at the opposite corner. A building of the above 

 proportions will hold about one ton of Hubbard squashes 

 to two bins, and by careful and close stowage in all avail- 

 able room, it can be made to hold about sixty tons. 



There is an advantage in having a low, wide building 



rather than a high and narrow one, as a greater portion of 



t is accessible from the floor, it is less exposed to cold 



winds, and the heat is more evenly distributed. In a high 



building, the heat in the upper portion is apt to be excessive. 



The squashes should be brought to the squash-house in a 

 dry condition, and be stored before dew falls. The stems 

 being yet green, the squashes should be so piled as to 

 bring these to the outside as much as possible. In placing 

 the squashes on the shelves, put the largest ones on the bot- 

 tom, giving them all a slant in one direction ; they will 

 thus pack better, and the uniformity will be agreeable to 

 the eye. From the beginning of the storing, every win- 

 dow and door should be kept open during fair weather, 

 and a fire at the same time will help in the drying of the 

 stems. Should there come a damp time of one day or 

 more, by all means start the fire. The stems will be apt to 

 mould some, and the air of the building have a disagree- 

 able smell if they decay, though a little moulding may 

 always be expected. In about three weeks from the time 

 of storing, the stems will be dry. In handling the squashes, 

 I need hardly reiterate the caution of care. My practice 



