238 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



fourth inch deep in moist land and one-half inch if the 

 soil is thin and dry. As soon as the seeds break through 

 the ground the plants should be dusted thoroughly with 

 plaster with a little Paris green in it to keep off the 

 insects, striped beetles and black squash-bugs. The 

 winged cultivator should be put through the rows diag- 

 onally, throwing the soil up close to the plants. As soon 

 as the insects are through working all weak plants are 

 pulled out, leaving three in each hill. The second cul- 

 tivation may be with the plow lengthwise of the rows, 

 throwing more soil against the plants, and the third also 

 with the plow, throwing up more soil. If the land is 

 very weedy a little hand hoeing may be needed just 

 about the hills, and before the plants get to running 

 much the cultivator should be run diagonally again, 

 and possibly lengthwise between, to kill small weeds 

 and keep the soil well stirred. No more care will be 

 needed unless it be to pull a few large weeds in the hills 

 that may have escaped the cultivator. 



Squashes must be harvested before frosty weather, as 

 even a temperature just above freezing may injure their 

 keeping qualities. When the danger of frost is pro- 

 nounced, a temperature of 45 at 5 P.M. and going 

 down, squashes are generally thrown in piles, if they 

 cannot be carted to the barn or shed, and covered with 

 the vines, and the following day carted to some place 

 where they may lie in the sun during the day and be 

 covered at night. 



When the ripening process in the sun is completed 

 or danger of freezing is past, they are placed in a dry, 

 warm shed, loft or cellar. They will keep best at a 

 temperature of 52 and a very dry atmosphere in a dry 

 shed, squash house, chamber, or furnace cellar. 



The crop is sold in barrels or bushel boxes, the price 

 ranging from one-half cent to two cents per pound. 



