Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-05-07
The Farmer.

q
!. From the Germantown Telegraph.
4 The Pumpkin Its Cultivation AM
Nh. EDITOR: The pumpkin, although q
, very common vegetable, has never, think,
been appreciated so highly as it deserves.
This arises in part from the very ipjudici
GUS, and in many instances preposterou'
manner in which it is cultivated. From
the great size and extent of the vines, and
the weight of the fruit, common sense
would induce us to infer, that the amount
, Of nutriment required to bring it to per-
fection, must necessarily be proportionally
great; yet We generally find it growing
among corn, and not unfrequently upon
soils, the constitutional character of which
is too weak to insure success TO the light.
est crops. The consequence Of this spe-
cies Of "mixed husbandry" inevitably is,
that neither the corn when SO grown, nor
the pumpkin, attain their maximum deve-
lopement, and both crops are garnered at
an expense which often greatly exceeds
their worth. Now, sir, nature is always {.
fair dealer, but she will not be cheated. If
we would realize remunerating crops, We
must proceed on righteous principles then,
however liberal may be our demands, all
our behests will be guerdoned with fair
equivalent in return. Ny method Of cul-
tivating the pumpkin, is this:
In the autumn, l break up a piece Of
well conditioned sward land, roll and har-
row. 1 then spread on after the rate Of
thirty cords of manure to the acre, and
turn it under with light furrow. -Four
bushels of gypsum to the acre are next ap-
piled, the soil rolled smooth, and left in
this condition till the subsequent spring
As soon as the frost is fairly out, and the
soil sufficiently dry to admit its beingwor-
ked with facility, l take on the cultivator,
and give the surface thorough working
following and dressing off with the harrow
My hills are then made six feet apart each
way-a large broad hole being excavated
to receive one bushel Of old compost on
which l plant my seed-from five to sig
of which are allowed to each hill. Over
the seeds, and in immediate contact with
them and the manure, I apply half pint
of gypsum, and little sulphuric acid or
pulverized copperas, and cover with one
inch Of fine soil, pressing it down with the
hoe.
As soon as the plants are up, I give them
dressing Of ashes, about one pint to each
nill, and hoe them in rough leaf As the
'ug, which preys on the cucumber and
quash vine is also an equal enemy to tho
spread over my plants in
bug time" a thin fake Of cotton, fasten-
ng it down by means of wooden pins,
Thich prevents their doing much injury
0 the plants, and often, when properly
one, wholly prevents their attacks As
he vines extend, the benefit of the spread
lanure becomes regularly and progressive
: more obvious and apparent. From
very joint of pumpkin vine there ema-
atcs system of small fibres which pene-
ate the soil, and perform the functions Of
,ots. They are, in fact, veritable roots,
hen they fasten upon soil or section of
Ill replete with hunsus, or the active ele-
tents of vegetable nutrition, they greatly
sist in augmenting the thrift and fruit
illness of the vine. As every portion of
y pumpkin plot is filed with organic
after, in condition to be readily appro-
rated and assimilated by the organic ac-
on of the vegetable system, every fibre
ecomes mouth for the reception of invi-
,rating food, and every evolution of roots
, increase of vital strength in the parent
ant.
Great care is had to keep down the
eeds, and thoroughly to eradicate every
,stige Of spurious vegetation, before the
,velopment of the runners and foliage has
,comc so exuberant as wholly to occupy
e soil. In this way, vast crops of this
cful and valuable production may be OBJ
ined at comparatively small expense.
For feeding swine, prepare few bar
Is Of pumpkins, annually, in the following
amer: Selecting the earliest npe, l cut
EN-, without pairing, into thin strips, and
y them thoroughly in the sun, by sns-
nding the rings on poles, and when dry,
lck them away for futWe use. Prepared
this way, pumpkins may be kept an age,
ID when ground, mixed with skinned
ilk, and sweeteped with little molasses,
constitutes one Of the best and richest
ticles for winter feeding that can be sup
led. A few handfulls Of this meal, will
found sufficient for bucket full Of mush,
it absorbs large quantity Of water, and
swells' much more than Indian meal,
peeially if it has been properly dried,
4 -.o.o~cod from mot