The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-12-24
Ess,us; ) .sans.a .sy HAND.
q. Yt1c,e,,a rseo,,ng.1 Herald.i {

s. a -. .5
Among those exhibiting 40 The Terrific
rial Fair THE rear is James 3. Johnson. Q
farmer OF the Prickiy-Pear Yelley, wtiose
rancl, lies seven miles north OF Helena. He
has sr,seadfd collection OF grain and 4ege'
tables. among fte latter a s4uash Oh nearly
forty pounds weight, which has history too
remarkable TO pass unrecordede itfs OF tue
california E,amuabfh variety, snd CONSIDER
ohIv tine smallest Is buib" OF several OF The
kind shown ia The same collection. Some
sts ar seyen weeks ago, when little more
Than ten pounds weight, this squash vas
accidentally severed from its. vine by the
tread of q farm enploye. Dir. johnson
dep.ored The accident. the vegetable
being favcrite and the first TO
set from the blossom, and ne enter
tanned great expectations OF II. Inc
hired man, seeing his distress, suggest
ed that the squash be taken and raised oY
hand. johnson confessed he did not know
what thai meant. "It will grow and ma
ture II ron will furniah The milk" was Ine
response. eco ahead and 40 IT," sara
Johnson, who smiled grimly, thlnking Inal
the YsBkee hired man was disposed 10 pay
a "iosb" on him. The "orpnan Vegeta'
ble," with The stem and few iHches OF tas z
vine left Intact, was taken to the mouse an !,
deposited in garret-room, WneIe IL coulo
get sup-bath part OF each day. The stem
wss wound with several layers OF cotton
cloth. and this was submerged IN dlsn
Of new milk morning and evening. The
SQUASH fed hungrty On the lacteal
hnid. On the start it absorbed pint
of milk In few bours. This was presently
increased TO quart, and twice day 1t was
thug rationed to the first day Of the FAIR, on
Monday last. 1t thrived wonderfully on
its novel bringing up, and neighbors WHO
dropped in from time to time to see 1t ex-
pressed their surprise and astonishment al
This singular mode OF vegetable produe.
tiop, they watched it nurse, and couio
easiIy detect the healthy appetite draining
the nutritious drink. Every one gave the
SQUASH repeated shakes. and pressed their
investigations to learn whether there was
any internal evidence OF all the milk which
TINT vegetable had consumed. The squash
prospcred amazingly. expanded in size con-
tjnually, and when taken away for exbibl'
ton weighed within fraction OF forty
pounds.
There were many at the Fair whose curl
osity was greatly excited about the squash,
and Mr. johnson promised to cut the yege-
table in the presence OF witnesses, ana eX-
bjbIt 10 them its "true inwardness.' Ihls
was done before large concourse OF peo'
ple. and The amazement OF the mutltude
may be pictured, but not described, when
Il was opened to their wondering eyes. Dl-
yidcd carefully In the middle, the top nan
was removed, disclosing globe OF beantl-
full. polden-hued butter, with plump
filed seeds peeping out from all sices
of the misunderstanding ball. Its weight
was estimated by many OF the best 1nsges
at ten pounds, and was as fresh and ira
grant to the smell as spring-blown daisy.
II WAS the unheard-oi novelty more than
the surprising beauty OF the sight that
raised the enthusiastic outDurst OF tne
crowd Us they viewed the remarkable
blending of farm and dairy produce. The
meat" of the squash, in richness OF
color, cqualed that OF the butter.ball,
and, after everybody has had fair
chance TO sec and satisfy themselves OF
the gcnuncness OF both, and investigate
to their hearts content the UNIQUE
exhibit, it will be divided up and parcelled
out to a dozen or more parties, to whom
also will be given portion OF the butter
for trial Mr.. johnson receives from me
citizens Of Helena special premium OF S2o
for this rarest specimen OF a "butter
squash" ever raised by hand, or, for that
matter, by natures own process. we
think it will be generally acknowledged q
wondrous product, the counterpart OF winch
has probably never before been seen or
heard OF in Montana or any other part OF
the world.