94 Squashes. 



late spring and early fall frosts, or extremes of wet and dry weather ; and 

 whether the soil is suited to the kinds of fruit grown. Another source 

 of trouble is in not knowing what varieties are the most profitable for 

 market. Many have an ambition to have a very large number of varieties, 

 and, when they come into bearing, find that some varieties are not one 

 tenth part as profitable as others. 



To inexperienced persons wishing to engage in the culture of fruit, I 

 would advise, first, to become acquainted with the art of cultivating and 

 pruning by reading the standard works and periodicals on the subject, and 

 to counsel often with intelligent and experienced cultivators. Second, select 

 a suitable locality for the fruit you wish to grow. Third, select such varie- 

 ties as experience has proved to be the most profitable. Fourth, get as 

 near a good city-market as possible. Fifth, be prepared to dispose of your 

 perishable fruit by drying and canning when prices are very low for fresh 

 fruit. Lastly, plant no more than you can give the best of care ; do every 

 thing well and in the right time ; give determined battle to the insect ene- 

 mies ; do not expect too much from young trees ; send nothing but good 

 fruit to market ; make your brand respected by putting some of the best 

 specimens in the bottom of the basket or box ; and then consign to an 

 honorable and responsible commission-merchant : and, although you will 

 have trouble and disappointments, I believe you will never regret having 

 gone into the business of raising fruit. jf. A. D. 



St. Joseph, Mich. 



SQUASHES. 



On about a fourteenth of an acre of light, poor land, manured with Peru- 

 vian guano at the rate of fifteen hundred pounds per acre, we raised this 

 season a little over half a ton of Hubbard, Crookneck, Turban, and other 

 squashes ; and the weight of the crop would probably have been greater if 

 we had not gathered it in a hurr)', dreading the frost of the 17th of Sep 

 tember. 



