Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-05-05
Billings on Pumpkins.


about one foot in diameter, and not far
from being round.
The seed ov 1t is shaped like the he'd oy
an Iniun arrow, and is about the size oy
yure middle finger nail
The seed IL Inserted in the ground
about the 10th of May, and Gums to light
in about six days.
The pumpkin keeps on bizzy growing
until the fust ov October, and then gives
up the contest.
Pumpkins gro onto vine, and thare IL
but few II emmy smarter weeds than a
pumpkin vine. On ritch ground they will
gro four inches day, besides growing
about two inches each light. and they
hav large, ycllo flowers on them about
the size and shape ov the other end ov Il
key bugle, or French horn.
Each one OF these flowers means a
pumpkin, and | hay seen sixteen able
boddyed pumpkins on one vine.
This IL called "sum pumpkins"
Pumpkins are planted amung corn. aud
after the corn has been got of have seen
the pumpkins SO mulch on the ground
that yu couldn't count them.
The most remarkable thing about the
pumpkins IL the pi that IL in them.
Each able-boddyed pumpkin haz from
six to eight Pie ia them, and thare amt
no food, anshunt Qr modern, kan outstyle
them.
Pumpkin pi IL az hard to beat az the
simple truth IL. Pumpkins are cut up
into strips and hung up in the kitchen for
winter pi
1t IL noble sight to go home to the old
kitchen in the dead ov winter and SEQ the
ceiling ov the dear old room all freskoed
with long strings ov red peppers, punches
ov sage, knots ov pennyroyal, links ov
sassage, blown-up bladders, dried sun
flowers, dried apples, hi the yard, katnit
blossoms, mink skin or two, and a ten
foot pole stretched klean akross the room
hung full ov blessed pumpkin, kut an
inch and quarter wide into strips. ready
for pi.
If man haz never seen this sight, he
haz lived good deal in vain.
! waz born in bak room right along
side ov one ov theze old kitchens. and
hav laid on mi bak with mi heels up in
the air. when / waZ baby. bi the hour,
on the kitchen floor, aud loollt up with
delite and yenerashun, at the dried pump
kin, overhead.
Ihare aint, on the face ov the whole
earth, more joyful place for memory to
80 bak to thaS kind mothers kitchen,
hung around with dried pumpkin, and to
see again the dear good woman, with a
check apron on, and sleeves rolled up.
and arms dipt into huge mass oy steam
ing, pumpkin, clear up to the elbows, and
watch the nutmeg, aud butter, and kream
az it goes into the CRATE tin pan, and hay
you're mouth gro liquid az yu think ov the
pumkin pi that Tomorrow will cum out
ov the big bake oven, done Just to a nice
ty; az yello az gold, gently Drowned on
the top. and good enough for George
Washington to eat, the father ov his kun
try.
Menny Il man haz been horned ia a
palace, or sum elegant manshWn. aud
lOolled on ottomons, and trod on kostly
karpets all his life, and felt gland, and no
doubt thought he was happy, but he has
nisst rare p',aZzure. he kant look bal
to the klean White floor ovthe old kitchen
and remember how lac hung around the
CRATE tin pan ov pumpkin pi batter, and
got taste once in while Oy the luYlV
miXtur before it went into the oven.
Theze are the things that man never
forgits, the elegant things ov wealth leave
no sutch Impressions.
don't kuo when the pumpkin was iust
discovered. or Who it waz who fust workt
il up into pi.
Christopher Columbus found -Amerika.
Newton waZ the father oy grayitashm
and mcnny Il man has spent hiz whole
life and talents on perpetual m .shcn and
never kaught up with it, but who fust
found pumpkin. or invented it. IL a mis-
terry up to this hour.
Pumpkins gro the most cheerfully in
Nh England, bekause folks are most kind
to them thare, but the pumpkin IL good
natured plant and will gro ennywhere, if
people amt sassy to ii.
IL haz about $50 seeds in the inside ov
1t, and each seed IL a receipt in fall for
sixteen yung pumpkins if the seed IL hid
in good ground.
This Amt the fust essay i have written
on the pumpkin, and don't presume it
will be the last one, for every time think
ov the dear old vegetable, and the blessed
pi that IL in them am seized with a
phrenzy, and kant cool oph, until i hav
vented my joy on paper.
| hope pumpkins won't run out az long
az i last, and don't want pumpkin pi to
run out until the last man duz.
In conklushun, would propose three
cheers for pumpkins, and also three more
cheers for the pi that IL in them.