SQUASH WIKTER. 113 



sandy soil is best, but the squash will do well on heavier 

 soil, provided it is dry and thoroughly worked until it is 

 fine and mellow. It is seldom that such soil is worked 

 sufficiently. Comparatively few farmers have learned 

 how important it is to reduce soil to the finest and mel- 

 lowest tilth. In the field, I would 

 mark oS the rows forty-two inches 

 apart, and drill in the seed. I 

 think this is better than planting 

 in hills, but would plant in hills 

 if more convenient. All that 

 needs to be done is, to keep the 

 land thoroughly cultivated with Fig. 22. 



a horse-hoe between the rows, EAKLT BUSH SCOLLOP. 

 and thin out the plants in the row as previously directed. 

 The best varieties of summer squash are: the Early 

 Bush Crooknecked and the Early Bush Scollop. 



SQUASH. WINTER. 



Winter squashes have running vines, and require richer 

 land and more space than the bush varieties. They are 

 an important crop in the field-garden. The market gar- 

 deners on high-priced land, near large cities, can rarely 

 afford to raise winter squashes largely. They should be 

 grown on well-prepared farm land. The fruit has not to 

 be marketed from day to day, like summer squashes, but, 

 like cabbages, parsnips, carrots, and potatoes, can be sent 

 in large quantities at once to near or distant markets. 



Many farmers who try to raise squashes fail to realize 

 their expectations, simply because they do not prepare 

 the land with sufficient care, or manure highly enough. 

 If the land is not in the very best condition, the plants 

 do not grow with the necessary vigor, and soon fall a 

 prey to the remorseless Squash-bug. 



