NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



59 



CUSTARD SQUASH. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 CUSTARD SQUASH. 



Mr. Cole: — Having raised this squash, the last 

 summer, and proved its qualities, I herewith send 

 to you a description and figure of it, with a parcel 

 of ihe seeds for distribution. 



It is a luintcr squash with a hard rind, and is 

 said to have been brought from the city of New 

 York to Waltham, where some of the fruit was 

 grown in the summer of 1849. The friend who 

 gave me this account, favored me with seeds, 

 which were planted on the 25th of last May. Pre- 

 viously, however, in February or March, I saw the 

 same kind of squash in Boston market, and was 

 told that it came from the West Indies, and I think 

 it highly probable that it originated there. Nev- 

 ertheless, it is perfectly well adapted to our latitude 

 and climate, having grown and ripened in my gar- 

 den, the last summer, w'hich was not a favorable 

 season for this kind of fruit. 



My squashes were gathered on the 8th of Octo- 

 ber. Some of them were soon used for puddings 

 or pies, as they are often called, and were found to 

 be very good for that purpose. The flesh, when 

 stewed, was tender throughout, and lighter c(dored 

 than that of our common winter squashes, but in- 

 ferior in flavor. It was easily separated, by scrap- 

 ing from the thin and tough rind which, did not 

 become tender by cooking. As a sauce, with 

 meat, it is not so good as the crook-necked, and 

 much inferior to the marrow squash. 



One of these squashes was kept till the 22nd of 

 January. It weighed 18 1-2 pounds; was IG 1-2 

 inches long, and 2 feet, 2 inches in circumference 

 around the middle. Form, elongated elipsoidal; 

 slightly depressed at each end; longitudinally ten- 

 ribbed, five of the ribs corresponding with the an- 

 gles of the stem, more prominent than the others. 

 Scar at the blossom-end small, about one-quarter 

 of an inch in diameter. Rind smooth, with a few 

 irregular elevations on it; harder than that of the 

 crook-necked winter squash, but not woody, about 

 as thick as press-paper and of a dark cream or 

 cheese color. Flesh 1 1-4 inch thick, deep yellow, 

 very firm and fine-grained throughout. Seeds nu- 

 merous, whitish, oblong oval, truncated at base, 

 and, like those of pumpkins and squashes, furrow- 

 ed all round within the margin.* Like the latter, 



also, they are connected by orange-colored fibres to 

 the sides of the fruit, in six parcels, each parcel 

 consisting of three ranks of seeds. The membra- 

 nous partitions, dividing the cavity of the squash 

 into three cells, though broken away from the 

 sides, had not entirely disappeared. Fruit-stem 6 

 inches long, slightly enlarged next the fruit, with 

 five rounded edges of angles, and as many deep in- 

 tervening furrows, in the bottom of each of which 

 was also an elevated line or ridge. 



The vines, leaves and blossoms do not differ es- 

 sentially from those of the common winter pump- 

 kin and winter squash. 



Yours, truly, T. W. Harris. 



Cambridge, Jan. 25, 1851. 



' An outliue of the seed is given of the natural size. 



Remarks. — We are much obliged to Dr. Har- 

 ris, for his valuable contribution. We have al- 

 ready distributed most of the seeds. A very fine 

 specimen of this squash weighing IG lbs. is now 

 before us, raised by Mr. Raynolds, one of our pub- 

 lishers, on his place in Concord. He thinks much 

 of them as to their quality, production and keeping. 

 They ripened well last season, though it was rath- 

 er cool for plants from a tropical climate. Dealers 

 in the market, who frequently have this squash 

 from the West Indies, say that it sometimes suc- 

 ceeds well here, but is ratlier uncertain. — Ed. 



Corrections. — In a recent article on sheep, by 

 Mr. Bridge, a remark runs thus: *'My entire flock 

 of breeding ewes and lambs averaged at the la.st 

 shearing, 4 lbs., 2 ounces." For 2 ounces, read 

 6 ounces. Towards the close of his article, for 

 curors read curves. 



1^ We have several communications on hand, 

 which will appear soon. 



S\viM.MiNG Stockings. — Among the newest in- 

 ventions are swimming stockings, acting on the same 

 principle as the webbed feet of aquatic birds. They 

 were tested by one of the members of the British 

 association, who, with their aid, swam from New 

 Haven to Leith Harbor, against tide. 



