14 SQUASHES, HOW TO GEOW THEM, ETC. 



who will examine a squash vine of the running sorts, after 

 it has set its fruit, will find roots pushed down into the 

 earth at each joint ; and though these may be in part de- 

 signed by the Creator to steady the vine, there can be but 

 little doubt but that they are designed also to feed the 

 long runners. And this is proved by the fact, that if the 

 connection of the vine with the main root be severed, 

 while these subordinate roots remain uninjured, it will still 

 maintain a degree of vigor. Such facts as these sweep 

 all theories of hill-manuring by the board, for if the roots 

 travel beyond the hill in search of food, there a wise cul- 

 tivator will put food for them. My usual practice is this : 

 to distribute all the manure from my compost heap over 

 the field, after the first plowing, and before cultivating or 

 harrowing. This is thoroughly worked under (and but 

 just under), by a small one-horse plow, driven at right 

 angles with the furrows, after which I follow with the culti- 

 vator, aiming to have everything as thoroughly fined up as 

 possible. If time presses, I dispense with the small plow T , and 

 depend wholly on the cultivator and harrow to get my ma- 

 nure under the surface. After the manure is well worked 

 under, the hills or drills are marked off by dragging a chain 

 .over the surface, the first line being made straight by set- 

 ting up two poles ahead, and keeping them in line while 

 walking; afterward the lines can be kept conveniently 

 straight by carrying a pole of the same length as the dis- 

 tance desired between the hills, and using it occasionally 

 as a guide. After the field is thus chained out in one 

 direction, it is crossed in the opposite direction. The hills 

 are marked out by the crossing of the lines made by the 

 chain. If the surface is free from large rocks, the hills can 

 be marked out by running two sets of furrows, the hills 

 being made where they cross each other at right angles. 



In the hills I work in my manure, avoiding all stable 

 dung, or any animal manure, as this is liable to contain 

 seed, and to one who raises squashes for seed purposes, 



