SECRETARY'S REPORT. 205 



THE SQUASH. 



The introduction and use of the winter squash is of compar- 

 atively recent date. Its origin is involved in obscurity ; but 

 from the fact that ancient writings contain no allusions to it, 

 and that older European authors are equally silent in regard to 

 it, it is reasonable to suppose that like the potato it is a gift to 

 civilization from the New World. Its original home is supposed 

 to be somewhere within the American tropics, whence it has 

 spread over a large part of this country and Europe. As a table 

 vegetable it takes rank with the onion and the turnip, while for 

 pastry purposes it is perhaps second only to the apple. It must 

 be confessed, however, that it is not a great favorite with the 

 masses, owing, perhaps, to its expensiveness and the care neces- 

 sary in its preparation for the table. With those, however, 

 whose tastes and means require a variety of dishes, the squash, 

 from its delicate flavor and fine appearance, will always be 

 regarded as a necessity. These considerations will make its 

 cultivation by market gardeners in certain localities a matter of 

 considerable importance. 



The change which has taken place within seventy-five years 

 in regard to the use of this and some other vegetables, is quite 

 remarkable. In the last century, tjie pumpkin was principally 

 used for all those purposes for which the squash is now 

 considered indispensable. Even later, and within the memory 

 of comparatively young people. New England was famous 

 for its pumpkin pies, while those made from squashes were 

 comparatively unknown. 



At length the crooknecks were introduced, and became popu- 

 lar ; and these in turn, have been, in good part, superseded by 

 the improved varieties. There is frequently considerable differ- 

 ence in texture, flavor, &c., in specimens of the same variety, 

 and we have no knowledge of any method by which they can 

 be produced of a uniformly first rate quality. In this particular, 

 ■approximation only has hitherto been attainable. 



The varieties are numerous and too well known to need any 

 description here. 



They are in name the Crooknecks — Canada and Large — the 

 Autumnal Marrow, the Hubbard, and the Turban. This last, 

 though perhaps not so well known as the others, has great 

 merit, and promises to become a favorite. One of its peculiar 



