138 Home Vegetable Gardening 



dry soil and but one inch deep; the later ones in 

 deep loam. In neither case should the ground be 

 made too rich, especially in nitrogen; and it should 

 not be wet when the seed is planted. 



Pepper: — A dozen pepper plants will give abund- 

 ance of pods for the average family. The varieties 

 have been greatly improved within recent years in 

 the quality of mildness. 



The culture recommended for egg-plant is ap- 

 plicable also to the pepper. The main difference is 

 that, although the pepper is very tender when young, 

 the crop maturing in the autumn will not be injured 

 by considerable frost. 



Pumpkin: — The ''sugar" or *'pie" varieties of the 

 pumpkin are the only ones used in garden culture, 

 and these only where there is plenty of ground for 

 all other purposes. The culture is the same as that 

 for late squashes, which follows. 



Squash: — For the earliest squash the bush varie- 

 ties of Scallop are used ; to be followed by the sum- 

 mer Crookneck and other summer varieties, best 

 among which are the Fordhook and Delicata. For 

 all, hills should be prepared as described at the 

 beginning of this section and in addition it is well 

 to mix with manure a shovelful of coal ashes, used 

 to keep away the borer, to the attack of which 

 the squash is particularly liable. The cultivation is 

 the same as that used for melons or cucumbers. 



