308 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



but moderately. Boston Marrow, Bell, Canada Crook- 

 neck, and Hubbard, are all good winter sorts. The last 

 is a new variety of great excellence, related to the Valpa- 

 raiso. The Cashaw Pumpkin is a good substitute for the 

 winter squash. 



Vegetable Marrow Squashes are in England the favor- 

 ite sort, and used from the time the blossom drops until 

 matured. The Custard Vegetable Marrow is now the 

 kind preferred there. From a single trial they do not ap- 

 pear productive. 



Culture. — The squash is planted at the same time as the 

 cucumber and melon. Put six or eight seeds in a hill, 

 and thin out to two or three when they get up. The 

 bush squashes should be five feet apart, and the winter vari- 

 eties at least ten. For cultivation, see Cucumber. Squashes 

 are much better grown in rich soil ; do not plant them 

 near the cucumber or melon, if you would not have worth- 

 less seed from all the plants in their vicinity. Gather 

 summer kinds while the finger nail can easily penetrate 

 the rind ; they must be plucked as soon as fit for use, or 

 the fruitf ulness of the vines will be much impaired. To 

 keep winter squashes, they must be put away in a cool, 

 dry j)lace, free from frost. 



The Squash Bug, Coreus tristis. This insect is of a 

 rusty black color above, and yellowish beneath ; of a foul, 

 disgusting smell ; of quick motions. It eats the leaf and 

 stem, and at length destroys the stem. It lays its dark 

 colored eggs in patches upon the under surface of the leaf, 

 to which they adhere strongly. As soon as hatched, the 

 young enemy in little swarms commence feeding upon the 

 leaf, upon its under side, which soon withers. They are 

 quite timid, but may be found in the cool of the day con- 

 cealed under the leaves or clods of earth, and should be 

 sought for while the vines are young, daily, in the morn- 

 ing, and crushed before they become numerous. {Harris.) 



