SQUASH AND MELON CULTURE. 15 



a nearlj' mature squash and it soon wilts and rots, and the presence 

 of a few on the leaves of a vine near the root seems to poison the 

 entire vine and often causes its death. Several years ago I lost an 

 acre of squashes in this wa}^, after the fruit was set, and some of it 

 nearly grown. It all rotted and was an entire failure. When the 

 vines are wilting from this cAuse, I think the best remedy is, to go 

 into the field, hunt them up, and destroy them. This may be 

 done by making a pair of paddles of shingles and squeezing the 

 bugs between them, care being taken not to injure the vines. 



Woodchucks are often very destructive to squashes. Killing 

 them with dog, gun, and traps seems to be the only remedy. 

 Smoking them out with brimstone and putting poisoned apples into 

 their holes have been recommended, but I have never tried these 

 methods. 



Harvesting and Marketing the Crop. The ripening of a squash, 

 if of a soft stemmed variety, is indicated by the shrivelling and dry- 

 ing up of the stem where it joins the squash. As a squash ripens, 

 its upper surface assumes a deeper color ; the green colored ones 

 turn brownish on top, and the yellow kinds turn to a dark yellow or 

 orange color ; the hard shell kinds harden. As fast as they ripen it 

 is best to gather and market, if there is a fair demand for them with 

 remunerative prices, as they seldom pay for the care, extra labor, 

 and loss by decay, when stored. The earlier they are sold, the 

 better price thej^ will usually bring, unless kept until midwinter. 

 The weather should be closely watched so as to anticipate the first 

 frost in season to gather the remainder of the crops into heaps, or 

 into a shed where they may be protected from frost. When first 

 gathered avoid piling them on top of each other as much as possible, 

 as they are apt to rot where they touch, when piled before they are 

 ripe, but let them lie spread out where they will dry and ripen, out 

 of danger of frost. 



Keeping Winter Squashes. Keeping squashes in winter seems to 

 be attended with considerable diflSiculty. They cannot be kept 

 where it is damp, as in most cellars, or where frost can reach them, 

 nor will they keep so well where it is ver^^ warm. The best condi- 

 tions for keeping them seem to be where the air is cool and drj^, 

 yet safe from frost. An attic chamber until winter ; then a closet 

 near the chimney where the frost cannot reach, or the temperature 

 does not rise very high, is the best most families can command. 

 Extensive market gardeners often keep them in houses built for the 



