338 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES. 



the piece together and completely closed him in, the parts 

 coming tight together. I then persuaded my eighteen- 

 year-old daughter to get into it and I closed her in, in the 

 same manner. My daughter's weight was 110 pounds. I 

 then put two seven-year-old boys in at once. I then put 

 my three little girls in at once ; they were aged respec- 

 tively six, four and two years, their united weight being 

 116 pounds. I placed the largest child in the bottom and 

 the little one on the top and then put on the lid; the 

 squash was cut so that the top could be easily put on or 

 removed. The squash was three feet four or five inches 

 in length. 



The growth and productiveness of the plant in specially 

 favorable places are proportional to the size of the fruit : 

 vine growth of 50 feet and from 30 to 42 good sized fruits 

 to the single vine are recorded a good wagon load to the 

 vine. 



Localities and Soils. The greatest specimens and the 

 heaviest crops are produced on rich, retentive loams. 

 These are rather heavy soils and are usually the lowlands 

 of either coast or interior valleys. But great squashes are 

 not confined to such soils. Lighter soils, if abundantly 

 rich and adequately moist, are also very satisfactory, and 

 in fact any good soil deeply plowed and properly culti- 

 vated, until the vines cover the ground, may be expected 

 to give good return. For this reason the dairy farmer who 

 has suitable land, grows squash in large quantity for fall 

 and early winter feeding ; the mixed farmer enters squash 

 as a stated item in his list of crops, and the fruit farmer 

 is quite apt to grow squash between the trees in his young 

 orchard, to contribute to his family milk supply. 



The squash is somewhat exacting in its moisture supply, 

 and does not respond well on light, dry soils unless irri- 

 gated. With enough moisture the plant endures the high- 

 est interior heat and records large production. Excessive 

 irrigation is, however, to be avoided, for it is apt to di- 

 minish the fruiting. 



