KITCHEN-GARDEN PLANTS. CHAP. 



to be five feet at the least, and for the running sorts, of 

 which I have the white winter squash, and the bell shaped 

 winter squash, should be six feet, at the least. The ground 

 should be kept very clean. When the plants are put out 

 of the pots the balls should be sunk in the ground to a 

 level with the ground, a little water should be given to 

 each ball after it is fixed in the earth, and a little dry 

 earth should be drawn up round the stems of the plants 

 to the height of the seed-leaf. In about a fortnight, a 

 very nice hoeing should be given to the whole of the 

 ground. In another fortnight, a very nice digging to the 

 whole of the ground, and the summer-sorts will begin 

 to produce for use, by the latter end of July. If the first 

 crop fail, or appear to be likely to fail, you may sow 

 again in July, and even in August ; that is to say, the 

 summer-sorts, and, I dare say, the winter sorts, too, but 

 I have no experience upon that head. I sowed some in 

 the month of August last year j about five and twenty 

 plants in number, and had bushels of squashes fit for use 

 before the frost came. All the bush squashes are of a 

 yellow colour before they are fit for use, though I have 

 seen them in the markets in England for sale when still 

 green. Of all the sorts, the fiat-bush is the best for 

 the summer, and the long white for the winter. The 

 manner of cooking them is very simple. They are 

 merely washed clean, and boiled for about twenty 

 minutes j but by running: a fork into them, you know 

 when they are done, in the same way that you judge 

 in the case of a turnip. The summer sorts must not 

 hang on the plant long, except you wish to save the 

 seed. You soon discover what is their usual size, and, 

 as soon as they arrive at that, they are fit to be gathered. 



