.16 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



purpose, where thej can maintain an even temperature by the aid 

 of fires and ventilation. 



Saving the Seed. Great care should be taken to save seed only 

 from perfect specimens, which are up to the standard requirements 

 of their kind, and as much superior as possible. When two or more 

 kinds are planted near together the seed should not be saved, as 

 the product will be only mongrels, owing to the readiness with 

 which they mix. But it is better to plant each variety by itself ; 

 and to save our own seed, for the squash can be wonderfully im- 

 proved by good cultivation and careful selection of seed. I do not 

 believe in changing seed, for the sake of a change. I have some 

 varieties of squashes, the seed of which I would not exchange with 

 any one, and I take great care to keep them pure. The seed of a 

 squash should not be saved unless the quality and flavor prove sat- 

 isfactory at the table. When thoroughly dry, the seed should be 

 carefull}^ marked with the name of the variety and the year. The 

 special characteristics of the specimen, if it has any, should also 

 be marked, as extra dry, extra sweet, or very large. 



The Future Improvement of the Squash. Although the squash 

 has been wonderfully improved of late 3'ears, I do not think it has 

 reached perfection. Indeed, I believe it ma}" be improved more in 

 the future than it has been in the past. The wonderful success of 

 Mr. Butman in hybridizing, by which he produced the variety which 

 l)ears his name, is an encouraging sign of future improvement. Yet 

 good as his new squash is, I do not consider it perfect. I believe 

 a squash may be produced as sweet and dr}' as a sweet potato, 

 with as hard a shell as the Hubbard or the Butman, with as deli- 

 cate a color as the Butman when served for the table, and as thick 

 meated and productive as the American Turban. Certainly we 

 have no such squash now. Who will be the one to produce it, and 

 thereby immortalize his name ? 



Feeding Squashes to Stock. The squash is ver}- rich in flesh and 

 fat-forming elements, consequentl}^ it is a valuable food for stock, 

 and all the waste of the crop should be carefully saved and fed. 

 The specked and green ones, boiled up and mixed with meal and 

 shorts, make excellent food for swine and poultry, and cut up raw 

 they are valuable for cows and 3'oung stock. When feeding them 

 to hens, and cows giving milk, the seeds should be removed, as 

 they have a diuretic effect, which tends to dry up the millf, and 

 cause hens to cease laying. I think squashes are worth half as 

 much a ton to feed as good hay. 



