1863. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



241 



Several years ago this 

 squash was in high favor, 

 and very justly too, we 

 think, but since the intro- 

 duction of the Hubbard 

 squash, it has lost some of 

 its notoriety. 



In a note to us several 

 years since, from the late 

 lamented Dr. T. W. Hau- 

 Kis, of Cambridge, he said : 



"It is a winter squash 

 tcith a hard rind, and is 

 said to have been brought from the city of New 

 York to Waltham, where some of the fruit was 

 grown in the summer of 1849." 



The Doctor adds that he had seen the same 

 squash in Boston market, and was told that it 

 came from the West Indies, and thinks it probable 

 that it originated there. Nevertheless, it is per- 

 fectly adapted to our latitude and climate. The 

 form is elongated, slightly depressed at each end. 

 Ten-ribbed. Rind smooth ; with a few irregular 

 elevations on it ; harder than that of the crook- 

 necked of the winter squash, but not woody, 

 about as thick as press-paper, and of a dark cream 

 or cheese color. Flesh one and one-fourth inches 

 thick, deep yellow, very firm and fine-grained 



.vc-A 



.<.-.■. ^^ 



throughout. Seeds numerous, whitish, oblong. 



The vines, leaves and blossoms do not difl"er es- 

 sentially from those of the common winter pump- 

 kin and winter squash. The above engraving is 

 taken from Burr's " Field and Garden Vegetables 

 of America." 



Fair of the Upper Canada Acricultuhal 

 Association. — The June number of the Canadian 

 IloriiruUuriaf contains the Prize List, <Sjc., of the 

 Eighteenth Exhibition of this Society, to be held 

 in Kingston, Sept. 22d, 23d, 24th and 2,3th, 1863. 

 Premiums to the amount of about $12,000 are 

 offered on articles connected with agriculture, hor- 

 ticulture, manufactures and arts. 



A RUKAIi SCENE. 

 We had a royal progress from Boston to Font- 

 dale. Summer lay on the shining hills and scat- 

 tered benedictions. Plenty ymiled u]) from a 

 thousand fertile fields. Patient oxen with their 

 soft, deep eyes, trod heavily over mines of greater 

 than Indian wealth. Kindly cows stood in the 

 grateful shade of cathedral elms, and gave thanks 

 to God, in their dumb, fumbling way. Motherly, 

 sleepy, stupid sheep lay on the plains, little lambs } 

 rollicked out their short-lived youth around them, 

 and no premonition floated over from the adjoin- 

 ing pea patch, nor any misgiving of approaching 

 mutton marred their happy heyday. Straight 

 through the piny forests, straight past the vocal 

 orchards, right in among the robins, and jays, and 

 tlie startled thruslies we dashed inexorable, and 

 made harsh dissonance in the wild wood orcliestra ; 

 but not fur that was the music hushed, nor did 

 one color fade. Brooks leaped in headlong chase 

 down tlie furrowed sides of gray old rocks, and 

 glided whispering beneath the sorrowful willows. 

 Old trees renewed their youth in the slight, tena- 

 cious grasp of many a tremulous tendril, and leap- 

 ing lightly above their topmost heights, vine 

 laughed to vine, swaying dreamily in the summer 

 air; and not a vine nor brook, nor hill nor forest, 

 but sent up a sweet smelling incense to its Maker. 

 Not an ox, or cow, or bird living its own dim life 

 but lent Its charm of unconscious grace to the 

 great picture that unfolded itself, mile after mile, 

 in everv i'resh loveliness to every unsated eye. 

 Well might the morning stars sing together, and 

 all the sons of God shout for joy, when first this 

 grand and perfect world swung free from its moor- 



ings, flung out its spotless banner, and sailed ma- 

 jestically down the thronging skies. Yet, though 

 God sp, ke imce for the world to live, the miracle 

 of creation is still incomplete. New every spring 

 time, fiesh every summer, the earth comes forth 

 as a bride adorned for her husband. Not only in 

 the gray dawn of our history, but nowjn the full 

 brightness of its noonday, may we hear the voice 

 of the Lord walking in the garden. I look out on 

 the grey, degraded fields left naked of the kindly 

 snow, and inwardly ask ; can these dry bones live 

 again ? And while the question is yet trembling 

 on my lips, lo I a Spirit breathes upon the earth, 

 and beauty thrdls into bloom. Who shall lack 

 faith in man's redemption when every year on 

 earth is redeemed by unseen hands, and death is 

 lost in resurrection ? — Gail Hamilton. 



City of Providence. — During our late ex- 

 cursion, we passed a day in the beautiful, enter- 

 prising and wealthy city of Providence, and think 

 we never saw so many fine estates in a single day 

 before, as we saw in and about that city. The 

 climate and soil evidently greatly aid tlie efforts 

 of the gardener, while the best mechanical skill 

 and efl"orts of art are expended upon the tasteful 

 and costly mansions everywhere to be seen. It 

 is said that Providence is the most weidlliy city, 

 according to its population, of any in tlie Union. 

 We found its people as hospitable and intelligent 

 as their city is rich and beautiful. Its niaiiufac- 

 lures are numerous and in a prospering condition. 



