104 
AMERICAN KITCHEN GARDENER. 
is any appearance of their running to seed, they may be drawn out clean as 
wanted.” 
To save seed. —“ To obtain seed of the round-leaved, leave a sufficient 
quantity of established plants in April, May, or June, to run up in stalks; 
or transplant in autumn some of the spring-sown which have not run. To 
save seed of the triangular spinage, transplant, in March, some good strong 
plants, of the winter crop. For large supplies, a portion of each may be 
sown in February, or the first fortnight of March, to stand wholly for seed¬ 
ing. Sow each sort separate. Respecting both sides, observe that they are 
of the class Dicecia , the male and female flowers growing separately, on two 
distinct plants. When the plants are flowering for seed, the cultivator 
should examine whether the male plants, distinguishable by the abundant 
farina upon the blossoms, stand crowded or numerous to excess; in which 
case he should pull up the superfluous plants, leaving a competency for fer¬ 
tilizing the female blossoms, which else would prove abortive. And when 
the female blossoms are set, it is best to dispose of all the male plants, 
drawing them by hand; which will give more room to the females to grow 
and perfect their seed. The plants rejected may be profitably given to 
young pigs. The seed ripens in July and August.”— Abercrombie. 
Use — u The leaves are used in soups, or boiled alone, and mashed, and 
served up with gravies, butter, and hard-boiled eggs. The leaves may be 
obtained from sowings in the open ground at most seasons of the year, but 
chiefly in spring, when they are largest and most succulent.”— Loudon. 
u According to the opinion of French physicians, this plant is not only food, 
but physic, and is hence emphatically called ‘ Le balai de V estomad —the 
broom of the stomach—sweeping and deterging every hole and corner of 
that organ, without giving pain, or in any degree interrupting the ordinary 
avocations of the persons employing it.”— Armstrong. 
SQUASH. 
Cucurbita melo pepo .— Courge ou Potiron. JFr. 
The squash is a species of the cucurbita , and seems to be the link which 
connects the melon and pumpkin. 
u The varieties mentioned in Russell’s Catalogue are— 
Early bush summer ; 
Long crook-neck, or bell; 
Vegetable marrow ; 
Acorn; 
Commodore Valparaiso, (grows large, uni 
is highly esteemed ;) 
Canada crook-neck ; (smell, and of sum 
men' quality .) 
