SQUASHES. 179 



SQUASHES. 



It is believed by many persons that when melons and 

 squashes, melons and canteloupes, melons and cucum- 

 bers, or any other combination of these are planted 

 together, they will produce hybrids. Bees and other 

 insects are supposed to carry the pollen which effect 

 this combination. While this belief is firmly im- 

 pressed on many gardeners, no botanist or horticul- 

 turist has yet been able to produce these hybrids. In 

 no case has the fruit set, but the blossoms have fallen 

 as though not fertilized. The above remarks should 

 not be construed to mean that different varieties of 

 squashes will not cross with one another, because this 

 occurs freely. 



SELECTING THE SOIL. 



A good cucumber soil is also a good squash soil. 

 Very rich land with but little sand in the soil is not 

 adapted for squashes ; there will be an abundance of 

 fruit, but it will be insipid and will rot easily. A piece 

 of well drained sandy muck land raises heavy crops of 

 good fruit. For shipping, the early varieties are about 

 the only ones that pay. 



Squashes have one advantage over melons and cucum- 

 bers, in that they can be grown on freshly -broken land. 

 All that is necessary is to see to it that the land is kept 

 in a well-worked condition. It does not pay to neglect 

 this crop any more than with any other. 



Almost any kind of decaying organic matter will 

 make a good manure for this crop ; it responds to good 

 treatment, however. The plant should not be allowed 

 to exhaust the fertilizer which is in the soil before 

 more that is in an available form is applied. If it is 

 well balanced, there will be no trouble arising from too 

 much being used ; but care must be exercised not to 



