SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEil, ETC. 47 



most worthless in quality of all the varieties of squash 

 that have come to my notice. Nearly flat in shape, grow- 

 ing to weigh ten to twenty pounds, it has a large promi- 

 nence at the calyx, and shaped 

 like a flattened acorn ; this is 

 elegantly quartered, with a 

 button in the middle, and is 

 most beautifully striped with 

 white and a bright grass green, 

 while a setting of bead work 

 surrounds it. The body of 

 the squash is of the richest 

 orange color. In quality the 



AMERICAN TURBAN SQUASH. T7V™ „\. rp , n 



.trench 1 urban is coarse, 

 watery, and insipid. 



The American Turban is, without doubt, a combination 

 of the Hubbard, Autumnal Marrow, Acorn, and French 

 Turban, and the finest achievement that has as yet been ob- 

 tained by hybridization. Like all hybrids it tends to sport, 

 and varies somewhat in quality, so that while most of the 

 squashes are of first quality, some will be found that are 

 inferior; yet, with such parents as the Hubbard, Acorn, 

 and the Autumnal Marrow (when we recall its early excel- 

 lence), we might expect to find a superior squash, and in 

 the average quality of the Turban we shall not be disap- 

 pointed, for in dryness, fineness of grain, sweetness, deli- 

 cacy of flavor, and richness of color, when fully ripened, 

 it cannot be surpassed. Like the Hubbard, it is edible before 

 it is fully ripe, either of these varieties, particularly the 

 Hubbard, being superior for table use when unripe to any of 

 the varieties of summer squashes. The form of the body of 

 the squash is nearly cylindrical, the two diameters being 

 usually in the proportion of three to five, while it is more 

 or less flat at both the stem and calyx ends. At the calyx 

 end there is usually more or less prominent an acorn. 

 This may be very clearly defined, standing out very 



