SQUASH AND MELON CULTURE. 11 



will help to rot the sod aud make the soil hght and porous ; this I 

 consider very desirable, because the squash vine must have warmth 

 aud air in order to thrive. 



Manure and its Application. The squash is a gross feeder, and 

 delights in an abundance of nitrogenous manure. All kinds of 

 manure seem to agree with it excepting kelp, salt fish, and other 

 manures containing salt. The squash is very rich in nitrogenous 

 substances and consequently requires nitrogenous manures, while it 

 does not need so much phosphoric acid as the cereals. I have 

 found hen manure the best fertilizer I could apply to squashes. It 

 is very heating and is rich in nitrogen. I find by experiment that 

 home-made superphosphate will grow better corn than hen manure, 

 while the hen manure, will grow double the amount of squashes 

 that the superphosphate will. As a general rule, the more manure 

 we appl}' to squashes, the larger crop we obtain. I have never 

 found a limit to the profitable application of manure to squashes ; 

 of course there is such a limit, but it is very seldom reached. The 

 more manure we apply the surer we are of a crop in spite of a pos- 

 sible drought, for well-manured squashes will flourish, while others, 

 growing on a short allowance of this indispensable article, will wilt 

 and dry up ; indeed, we need not fear the drought, with good land, 

 plenty of manure, and thorough cultivation. The past season I ap- 

 plied eight cords of green manure from under the cow stable, spread 

 on, and a shovelful of dr}' hen manure in each hill ; and I would 

 recommend more rather than less. Great care must be taken in 

 covering the manure in the hill, as hen manure, or other strong 

 nitrogenous manures will destroy the seed if they come in contact 

 with it. It will not be safe to rely on kicking the dirt over the 

 manure with the foot, but a ver}^ much better way is to have a 

 man go ahead with a hoe, to press the manure down and cover it 

 with an inch of fine earth. Guano, night-soil, or well rotted stable 

 manure may be used with good success. If stable manure is used, 

 I would apply not less than three or four shovelfuls in each hill. 

 We must have manure enough to warm the soil and give the plants 

 a good start, so as to drive them ahead of the bugs. The roots of 

 a squash vine run ver}^ close to the surface, and consequently we 

 should apply the manure at the surface and work it in very lightly. 

 It is also best to apply part broadcast and a part in the hill, for 

 that in the hill will give the plants an earl}^ start, di-i-\ang them 

 ahead of the bugs, while that applied broadcast will help to sustain 



