CHAPTER XXXII. 



SQUASHES. 



MAMMOTH SQUASHES OR PUMPKINS. Cucurbita maxima. 

 French, potirons; German, melonen-kurbiss ; Danish, centner-groeskar ; 

 Italian, zucca ; Spanish, calabaza totanera. 



MARROWS AND SCALLOPS. Cucurbita pepo. 

 The species moschata also contributes same horticultural varieties. 



The California-grown squashes are all noted for prodigious 

 size and the acre-product is also immense. Squashes have been 

 used from the early days as exponents of size in California vege- 

 tables, at all distant and local exhibitions, and the statistics thereof 

 would fill a volume. Weights of single specimens have been at- 

 tained in excess of three hundred pounds, and field crops above 

 thirty tons to the acre. To avoid exaggeration and at the same 

 time present the truth about the California squash in a picturesque 

 manner, a single record is presented from the writer's collection of 

 cucurbitous literature. Frank E. Kellogg, of Goleta, Santa Bar- 

 bara county, personally known to the writer as a man of truth 

 and probity, furnishes this statement : 



I planted my squashes in May, and harvested them in October. Finding 

 that they were unusually large, I weighed ten of the largest and found that 

 their aggregate weight was one ton and fifty odd pounds, the largest one 

 weighing 225 pounds. This squash was exhibited at the county fair and re- 

 ceived the first prize. On the 15th of November, which was my boy's sixteenth 

 birthday, I cut open one of the other squashes, that weighed 210 pounds, and 

 took out the seeds; my boy then got into it and I put 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 

 respectively 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 favor- 

 able places are proportional to the size of the fruit ; vine growth of 

 fifty feet and from thirty to forty-two 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 satis- 

 factory, and in fact any good soil deeply plowed and properly culti- 

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