1884 .] 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 
227 
THE SQUASH AND ITS CULTURE 
As a contribution to the table, the rich 
aiul mealy flesh of the improved varieties of 
Winter Squash occupies a place that nothin., 
else can entirely All. It has become almost 
a necessity, in its season, to those who .set 
fine tables; and, with roast turkey and Cran¬ 
berry sauce, it is always associated in our 
minds with the festivities of Tlianksgiviim 
and Cliristinas. ^ 
The Squash, in its best estate, is decidedly 
a modern vegetable. True, the old, warted 
BOSTON MARROW' SQUASH. 
Ci-ook-neeks, with their pale, insipid and 
watery flesh, are relies of the Puritan days. 
But the delicious Hubbard, Butman, Marble- 
head,01ive and Boston Marrow are all ehildrou 
of the latter decades. Unfortunately, tliese 
highly improved varieties have 
left ofl! a part of the vigor and 
hardiness of their coarser ances¬ 
tors. Some claim that this weak¬ 
ening of the constitution is an 
inseparable companion of refine¬ 
ment in qiiaUtj' in all our fruits 
and vegetables. Can this be true"? 
Although the Squash seems to be 
peculiarly at home in the gardens 
of New England, it is none the less 
a tropical plant. Its foliage is sen¬ 
sitive to slight frost, and its vine 
develops best in our hottest and 
wettest seasons. Therefore we 
should plant Squashes on the warm¬ 
est soil, and, when possible, in a 
sheltered situation. It is little use 
to pi ant the seeds before the gi'ound 
has become well warmed in spring. ,If planted 
too early they are .liable to rot dm'ing cold 
rains. In the Northern States the middle of 
May is early enough. 
Squashes thrive best when an abundance 
OLIVE SQUASH. 
of well-rotted manure is used. 
mend putting all of the manure in tne nu 
where the seeds are planted. It is a ion, 
however, if it is not better to sprea i n 
the whole surface of the gi-ound, wbi ' 
into the upper six inches of the soi • 
are apt to forget that the roots of <1’^ ipi,gy 
creep nearly as far as their stems, 
iike the warm soil near the surface, an 
naturallv ^ tlm TOots 
tlu n n^ or guano 
thorougldy mixed with the soil of the hill 
010 planting will prove a valuable addi¬ 
tion as a stimulant to tlio young plants. 
Insect onomios form the chief obstacle to 
successful Squash growing. For the private 
pmlenor I have no hesitation in recommend¬ 
ing protection for the young plants as the 
best ineaiis of oscaping tho ravages of the 
striped bug. Light boxes, without bottom, 
covered with mosquito netting, placed over 
the hills before the plants are up, are a cer¬ 
tain remedy. For the Squash-borer, that 
begins Its depredations later in the season, 
I have used the past summer, with marked 
success, half a teaspooiitul of Paris gi'een, 
m^ed with a gallon of water, sprinkling the 
mixture upon tho stems after every rain. In 
vigorous running varieties like the Hubbard, 
the stems should bo wet with the mixture for 
a distance of at least six feet from the base 
of tho plant. Tho application should be com¬ 
menced about the middle of July, and be 
continued until the middle of September. 
The summer varieties of Squash, though 
less popular than the winter sorts, are never¬ 
theless worth raising. They are more hardy, 
and occupy less room than the later ones. 
Perhaps the best varieties for summer are 
the White and Yellow Scallop Bush. These 
PERFECT GEM SQUASH. 
may be planted in rows six feet apart each 
way. After the fruits of these become too 
hard foruse, it will be time to commence upon 
the winter sorts. For quality I can name no 
better varieties for autumn and winter than 
the fom‘ mentioned near the be- ■■ 
ginning of this article. The Per¬ 
fect Gem is hardier than any of 
these named, but, though very 
good, is, with me, a little lacking 
in richness. 
KyWheu stored in a cool, dry 
room, that is never allowed to 
go below the freezing point, the 
Hubbard, Butman, and Perfect 
Gem will keep until January, or 
even longer. 
“Elm.” 
PEAS AND LIMA BEANS. 
Although it will bo some time before we 
shall plant Peas and Beans again,, some 
statements about Peas in i-eeent numbers of 
The American Garden suggest that my ex¬ 
periments in Pea planting may be of interest 
to some of its readers. 
I like to plant Peas early by thoroughly 
preparing the soil, getting it in a good eon- I 
dition, and planting the seeds not less than 
throe inches deep, covering it well. I find 
that Peas do best on a good, loamy soil, par¬ 
tially mixed with sand. 
This year I tried tho American Wonder 
Pea, McLean’s Little Gem, Tom Thumb, and 
Cleveland’s Rural New Yorker. Planting all 
the same day and in tho same kind of soil, 
and giving the same kind of cultivation, the 
American Wonder gave me the earliest and 
the most prolific crop. 
I also tried the plan of planting bush or 
running Peas in circles, instead of in rows. 
HUBBARD SQUASH. 
My usual plan is to plant two rows four or 
six inches apart, and the next two rows two 
feet from the first, so as to give room to walk 
between when brushing. This year I planted 
a plot in small circles about one foot in 
diameter, close together in the row, 
and the rows far enough apart, so 
that I could walk readily between 
them. A good stout brush, with as 
many branches as possible, was 
stuck in the middle, and answered 
for all the vines in the circle. I 
find it much easier picking, and as 
an equal number of vines can be 
raised in a row of circles as in two 
rows planted in drills close togeth- 
ei', and less brush is required, I am 
convinced that this plan is a con¬ 
siderable improvement. 
Last year I tried the plan of 
planting a row of Lima Beans 
^ reasonably close together, and 
then brushing the same as Peas, 
only using longer and stouter sticks 
than for Peas. Although I had planted but 
one small row that way, I liked it so well that 
this year I tried the plan more fully, and must 
say that it was a decided improvement, as I 
can raise more Beans in the same space of 
BUTMAN SQUASH. 
ground, with less cultivation, than by the 
old method of having three or four Beans 
planted around each pole. 
It has also the additional advantage that 
they bear earlier, as every grower of Lima 
Beans is aware that the vines will not bear 
much before they have reached the top of 
their supports, unless they are pinched in. 
N. J. Shepherd. 
