284 AMER10A.N HUSBANDRY. 



Early Bush Squash, Vegetable Marrow, and Lima 

 Cocoanut or Acorn Squash. The Crooknecks are 

 valuable varieties, as are the Valparaiso and Cushaw; 

 but for the table we prefer the first-named kinds. 

 The general cultivation of the squash is the same as 

 that of the cucumber and melon; planting in well- 

 manured ground in hills, the bush kinds four feet 

 apart, and the runners from six to eight feet. Sum- 

 mer squashes are used before ripening ; winter 

 squashes must ripen, but should be gathered before 

 frosts occur. They must be kept dry, and, if not 

 allowed to freeze, will keep good for some months. 



SALSIFY. Tragopogon Porrifolius. 

 This plant, called also the Vegetable Oyster, is 

 exteusively cultivated, both for its tops and roots ; 

 the first being gathered while fresh and tender, and 

 cooked and eaten as asparagus ; and the latter, being 

 cut into thin slices, are boiled in milk and water till 

 soft and tender, then mashed and slightly thickened 

 with flour, after which they are fried in lard or but- 

 ter. In this state they are considered a luxury. 

 They are cultivated by being sown in drills in April, 

 an inch deep, and the drills one foot apart. The 

 plauts must be thinned to the distance of six inches 

 from each other, and the after-culture is the same 

 as for carrots or beets. The roots may be gathered 

 in the fall, and packed in earth or sand, or allowed to 

 stand where they grew till wanted. 



oMATo. Solanum Ly coper sicum. 

 The Tomato has long been grown in gardens for 

 the beauty of its fruit, but within a few years its cul- 

 tivation has been much extended, and it is now gen- 

 erally esteemed both for its culinary and medicinal 

 prop!>rties. The Tomato may indeed be considered 

 the fiUihionable plant of the day ; and not to know 

 and admire it " argues one's sell unknown." Still it 

 must be admitted that the taste for it is acquired, 



