GARDENING AND TRUCK FARMING. 313 



always destroy them. Whether the bugs do not find them among 

 the potatoes, or there is something about potato vines that is 

 distasteful to them, I do not know ; the fact remains that I have 

 never had them disturbed when planted in this way. The crook- 

 neck squash is more hardy, and is seldom disturbed by the bugs, 

 and may be planted after early peas or among sweet corn. 



Squashes do not require a long season, and may be planted 

 the latter part of June. My " Hubbards" were planted this 

 year the 26th of June, and on September 20th, twelve weeks 

 from planting, were matured so as to be out of the way of frost. 

 During the three weeks ending August 14th, one of these vines 

 ran fourteen feet. Wherever a market can be had for them the 

 Hubbard squashes can be made very profitable, as they are ex- 

 cellent keepers and can be marketed at any time during the 

 winter. Care should be taken in gathering them to cut the 

 stem and leave most of it on the squash, for if broken from the 

 squashes they are likely to rot. They should also be handled 

 carefully so as not to bruise them. They should be stored 

 where the temperature can be kept uniform, and forty degrees 

 is the best temperature ; but some range is allowable. Enough 

 for family use can be kept in a dry cellar, but when grown in 

 large quantities for a winter market, they should be stored in a 

 room where fire can be made in damp or very cold weather. 

 If they are to be put in the cellar, it is best to keep them in an 

 upper room or out-building for a few weeks first. They should 

 always be gathered when perfectly dry. 



Tomatoes. To have this crop early requires starting in the 

 hot-bed. The seed may be sown quite thickly, about the first 

 of March, and the plants, when about four weeks old, pricked 

 out into other beds, setting them four or five inches apart. 

 Enough plants can be started under one sash to fill fifty when 

 transplanted. By giving plenty of room, these transplanted 

 plants can be kept in the hot-bed till they are in blossom, and 

 then if watered copiously the night before, nnd taken up care- 

 fully with a ball of earth, they will be checked but little in 

 their growth, and will fruit quite early. I can get ripe tomatoes 

 early in July by this treatment. For the main crop this trouble 



