428 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



plants are enough for a family. Seed may be gathered as 

 it ripens, dried carefully in the shade, and put up in paper 

 bags. 



It is used as a substitute in summer for the common 

 spinach. Swiss Chard is a better one. The seed vessels 

 make a good pickle. 



SQUASH.— ( CucurUta Melopepo.) 



The squash is a tender trailing annual, and was first 

 brought to England in 1597. It is a native of the Levant. 

 It is a much esteemed garden vegetable, and in some of 



its varieties can be 

 had for the table the 

 greater part of the 

 year. 



Summer Squashes. 

 The best are the 

 Early Bush Scollop, 

 which is small, and 



Fig. 14G— Mammuth Summer Crookneck. ' 



either white or golden 

 yellow in its two subvarieties; both good; the Summer 

 Crookneck, also a bush variety, bright yellow, covered 

 with warts; Bergen, small, bell-shaped, striped dark 

 green and white; used green, like the preceding, and 

 when the shell hardens, becomes still better, being very 

 dry and rich, and keeps well. 



Winter Squashes are of many varieties; as Valpa- 

 raiso or Cocoanut, as it is named from its shape. It has 

 a rough, grayish coat, flesh deep orange, very dry, and 

 sugary. It is the best of all, but a great runner, and bears 

 but moderately. Boston Marrow, Bell, Canada Crook- 

 neck, Hubbard, and Perfect Gem are all good winter 

 sorts. The Hubbard is a variety of great excellence, re- 

 lated to the Valparaiso. The Cashaw Pumpkin is a good 

 substitute for the winter squash. 



