Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-31
AGRICULT URAL.
Pu M PK Ms.
TSJ. BuEL, conductor Of the Custiuasor

Although am stranger to your per-
son, am not an utter stranger, ! trust, to
the noble object of your labors, as..manifest
through the medium of the Cultivator. My
object in addressing you, at this. slime, and in
this manner, is, to ascertain, if possible, the
origin and comparative worth Of a genus, sor
species, or variety of Pumpkins, very little
known, as yet, In this region Of country. l
address you through the Telegraph, because
my humble labors belong very much to its
readers; and whatever useful knowledge l
can obtain, in which the public are concern
ed, belongs TO them next to myself-and
then to as many others as choose to avail
themselves Of it.
Although the pumpkin is not Of equal con-
sequence with the principal grains and the
potato, it is worth some attention. As was
passing through Albany, last May, and by
Thorburn's Seed-Store, [kept, as l have sup
posed, in connection with the publication Of
the Cultivator,] noticed an article exhibit
ed in the window, which at first took to be
an imitation Of squash-like the imitation
of oranges, lemons, peaches, &C., sometimes
so exhibited-but on closer examination, /
found it to be reality, and inquired to know
what kind Of squash they had in SO perfect a
state Of preservation at that time in the year.
aNis not SQUASH" was the reply, but a
pumpkin" sIndeed--and what kind Of
pumpkin "We call it the seven-s ear pump
kin" was the answer. But what is sew
en-year pumpkin?' "a pumpkin that keeps
in the state of preservation in which you see
that 1.-THE one in the window year after
YEAR, 'And what are its other qualities Q
st is fne-grained and rich" Have you
the seeds for sale?' "Yes." And what is
the pricep "Seventy-fve cents Dozen"
Suffice it to say that purchased half a doz-
en- Of the seeds-brought them home, and
planted them. planted them in six differ
ent hills. Only one Of the six came up
The failure Of the others may possibly be ac-
counted for from the manner OF planting
them. Holes were dug, and filed near to
the surface with night-soil, which was COW
cred with lime, and this with earth, and
then the seed planted. have supposed
that the lime and night-soil were not cover
ed with sufficient depth of earth. Be that as
it may, only single plant appeared. This
was remarkably thrifty from its first appear
ance. It grew rapidly, and soon branched
of in various directions. Winter squashes
had been planted il its immediate neighbor-
hood. The two being about to blossom at
the same time, the squashes were alldestroy-
ed for fear of an amalgamation. The squash
es were destroyed in season,-so that the
pumpkin has been kept from any adultera-
ton. When the drought came on, occa-
sionally watered the plant with soap-suds.
Some or 10 pumpkins set-4 Of which
ripened before frost. These four weigh, to-
gether, 1854 pounds-the heaviest weighing
So, and the lightest 51i pounds. The fifth
nearly ripened, the weight Of which, with
the sixth and seventh added to the first 4,
make 800 pounds weight. The color of the
ripened ones is mainly lead, striped with
flesh color. The vine had every appearance
of a pumpkin-vine. The stem and corolla
are those Of squash. The general shape
is that Of pumpkin.
Now, If you can furnish the readers Of the
Telegraph with the history of this remarks
bic thing-together with suggestions as to
its peculiarities and comparative worth, you
will much oblige me and them.
have recently seen an account-taken
from the Philadelphia Farmers Cabinei-of
what is called the "citron pumpkin" sand
tohaye been first introduced into this conn
ry BY Commodore Porter" 1t is not told
where he foundir. The description answers
well to the article have now described.
Respectfully yours,
o. s, MURRAY.
n nrrnn