ART OF GARDENING. 61 



SPINACH (Spinacia oleracea). 



This is a valuable vegetable for the kitchen garden, being 

 hardy in its habits and of a wholesome nature. It will only 

 flourish in rich soil, and if the ground is poor, strong manure 

 must be liberally thrown into the bed. It can be cultivated 

 in drills ; as soon as it is a few inches high, it must be 

 carefully hoed, and the practice continued t all through its 

 growth. 



Spinach is regarded mostly as a spring vegetable, but it is 

 sometimes put into beds, in autumn, that have become empty 

 by the taking up of vegetables. 



There are several varieties of spinach, the Savoy Spinach, 

 Broad-leaved Spinach, Holland, &c. A variety called New 

 Zealand Spinach, or Tetragona expansa, lasts into autumn. 

 It grows, if the season is favorable,- luxuriantly ; and is 

 planted in hills some feet apart, with but few seeds to a hill. 



SQUASH (Gucurbita Melopepo). 



Beds are prepared for the Squash in the same manner as 

 for melons and cucumbers. Those which are great runners 

 have an interval between them of six or nine feet, while the 

 bush varieties are planted three or four feet apart. 



Early Summer Squashes are gathered while the outside 

 is sensitive to the pressure of the finger-nail. 



Winter Squashes are kept out as long as possible, in order 

 to be hardier for winter keeping. On cold nights they are 

 covered with matting or old carpet, to protect them from the 

 frost. They should be thoroughly dried by the sun before 

 they are put up for winter. Care should be taken not to 

 bruise them ; and they should be kept on a dry floor or 

 shelf, in a room at an equal temperature, but never at the 

 freezing point. 



Early Bush, Early Crook-neck, &c. are summer varieties. 

 Canada Crook-neck, Acorn Squash, are both nice varieties 

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