Some Squashes and How to Grow Them 



NOT only is the squash one of the 

 most nutritious and valuable of our 

 garden vegetables, but, owing to 

 the ease with which it can be grown, 

 and the number of varieties in cultiva- 

 tion, it should prove of great interest to 

 the amateur gardener. The summer 

 varieties are ready for the table early in 

 the season, while the winter sorts, if pro- 

 perly stored, and cared for, may be kept 

 in perfect condition until May or June of 

 the following year. 



It seems strange that farmers and 



ock raisers do not better appreciate 

 tiie value of winter squash as a food for 

 stock. An acre of squash, costing not 

 more to cultivate than an acre of corn, 

 will produce quite as much food as the 

 corn, and of a kind calculated to keep 

 stock in the pink of condition during the 



inter months, when dry food is the rule 

 :,iiher than the exception. They are 

 specially valuable for milch cows, adding 

 greatly to the flow and quality of the 

 milk. Even horses may be taught to eat 

 them in a raw state. The writer has a 

 Shetland pony that is as fond of a Hub- 

 b:ird squash as of an apple. As a win- 

 icr food for poultry, it seems to supply a 

 long felt want, and I would advise all 

 ' Miciers to grow a "patch" of Hubbard 



r Delicious for their chickens, even if 

 iiir no other purpose. 



SOIL AND CARE 



Almost any soil, if well enriched, will 

 grow good squashes, but warm sandy 

 lands, or sandy loams, arc to be pre- 

 ferred. If to be grown on heavy soil, 

 it would be well to start the seed in pots 

 or boxes, two or three weeks before 

 planting out. Strawberry boxes answer 

 the purpose very well, as the bottom of 

 the box can be cut off, and the plants 

 set in the ground without disturbing the 

 roots. For ordinary planting, dig a hole 

 in the soil about three feet in diameter, 

 a foot in depth, and fill up with fine old 

 manure to within a few inches of the 

 ' -vel. Mix well with the soil, and cover 

 j^h two or three inches of earth, then 

 t the seeds, eight or ten in each hill, 

 fter all danger from frost or insects 

 ast, pull out all but the two strongest 

 ants. I have found air-slaked lime, 

 sprinkled over the plant, whenever the 

 iped cucumber beetle appears, to be an 

 (client remedy for this pest. It is not 

 ■ ea.sy, however to cope with the cut 

 "rm, whose presence is only discovered 

 :i(!r it has finished its work. 

 Moisture must be supplied to the roots 

 'luring the .season of growth, and not 

 more than two or three fruits should be 

 allowed to each vine. If large specimens 

 I- desired, ^11 but one should be re- 

 iiovcd as .soon as the fruit appears. 



As a rule, it is not desirable that the 

 vines should be allowed to root al the 



P. G. Heyes, Ottawa 



joints, as this prolongs growth, and has 

 the effect of keeping the fruits from 

 ripening as early as they otherwise 

 might, which is a desideratum where the 

 season is short. This tendency to form 

 roots has its advantages, however, 

 one of which is that it prevents the vines 

 from being moved or blown about by 

 the winds, after the fruit has set. 



VARIETIES 



The varieties are so numerous that 

 'care must be taken to grow them separ- 

 ately, if they are to be kept pure. There 

 is little danger, however, of the bush or 

 summer varieties, mixing with vine or 

 winter types, and even if varieties do 

 mix, it is only in ca.se the seeds of such 

 mixtures are planted that the fact be- 



Another excellent old variety is the 

 Boston Marrow, light orange in color, 

 with sweet-flavored yellow flesh — fine for 

 pies. The Karly Prolific Marrow is very 

 attractive in appearance, and the flesh 

 is thick, dry and sweet. 



Essex Hybrid is of great value as a 

 winter squash. The same remark ap- 

 plies to Fordhook, although I have never 

 succeeded in keeping it as long as any 

 of the varieties aforementioned. 



Mammoth Chili is perhaps the largest 

 of the winter squashes, and for exhibition 

 purposes is one of the best. It is rather 

 coarse for table use, but as a pie squash 

 it is hard to beat. 



I need not mention the summer or bush 

 varieties, many of which are excellent. 



There i> Merit aD<l Money in Vegetables Like These 



Outfit ready for Market. Farm of Geo. Syiiie & Hon, Carletoii West, Out. 



comes apparent. Where new seed is 

 purchased each year, there need be no 

 hesitancy about planting all varieties in 

 the same plot. 



Mature squashes, that have been care- 

 fully gathered, may be kept until May, 

 or even longer, if stored in a dry cellar, 

 having an even temperature of about 

 fifty degrees. At the head of the win- 

 ter varieties, I would place Delicious, 

 which in richness of flavor, is unsurpass- 

 ed by any variety I have grown. In 

 color, it is not unlike the Hubbard, and 

 like that variety, is at its best during the 

 winter season. 



The Hubbard is a noble squash, and is 

 probably more extcnsi\ely grown than 

 any other winter variety. It is large in 

 size, bluish-green in color, and is unex- 

 celled for keeping. It is dry, fine- 

 grained, and of rich flavor, and may be 

 had in good condition until May or June. 

 The (ioldcn Hubbard has all the ad- 

 mirable qualities of the Hubbard, dif- 

 fering only in color. 



119 



and are appreciated on account of their 

 earliness. The.se can be grown in very 

 limited quarters, and some of them are 

 peculiar in form. There are also other 

 good winter varieties, such as Bay City, 

 Golden Bronze, and so forth. If only 

 one variety can be grown, I would say 

 let it be Delicious. 



Pear Blight 



What can be used to cure blitfht on pear 

 trees.?— L. T. W., Kent Co., Ont. 



There is no reliable remedy for pear 

 blight. Nothing can be done except to 

 cut out the affected parts several inches 

 below where any trace of it is to be seen. 

 Burn all affected branches. The blight 

 sometimes can be prevented in resistant 

 varieties, like Kiefl'er, by seeding the 

 ground around the trees with grass, and 

 never plowing it up. This should be 

 done only after the trees have commenced 

 to bear. 



