Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-07-04
RAISING souAsnsa

RAISING 1QuAsHea
1sSssnatisa - Folaas NsG Runy UnAse.
seood ~ Tasnses.
The squash Is indigenous to the trop-
lcal climates and to the warmer nor
sons OF the temperate zones, % that
In our latitude they require very hot
seasons to grow them successfully.
While taste for squash. like that for
tomato and banana, seems to be q mat
TOR OF education. yet dealers who arc
In position to know say that the squash
ranks next to the potato in popularity !,
more especially in the larger cities.
The ordinary method Of digging
holes in odd corners and out-of-the-
way places and then filing the holes
with manure In which to plant
squashes is time poorly spent. for tho
result is seldom satisfactory. After
the vine has made a growth of few
feet, and has set few squashes, it il
checked in its growth, turns yellow
and dies. the roots having in vain en-.
deavored to penetrate the ground sur
rounding the hole in which they ara
growing. As to how far the roots of a
squash vine will extend, it is my belief
that the roots Of the squash vine will
extend as far under ground as the vine
extends on the ground above.
The great error in cultivating the
squash is to starve it; another is to
give all the food necessary without al
lowing room for extra growth of the
vine under high cultivation. The best
results may be obtained by scattering
the manure after blowing the ground.
1t should then be thoroughly incor-
porated with the soil. Commercial
manures are preferable to stable ma.
nure for manuring in the hill. from the
fact that they contain no seed. and will
give the young plant a quick start.
while the manure which has been
worked into the soil about the plant
will be held in reserve and be efficient
in maturing the crop.
Thorough mixing of fertilizers with
the soil is important; a top dressing of
well-rotted manure or superphosphate
OF lime is relished by the vine after the
begin to show. Hills should
be from eight to twelve feet apart, ac-
cording to the varie ty planted. Squash
vines are susceptible to the slightest
injury or disturbance, and. as a rule,
it is better to allow weeds which
spring up near the end of the season
to remain than to disturb the vines in
to pull them up and cut
them of. No person should be allowed
to pass through or even set foot in the
squash patch. after the squashes have
setting. s
Squashes mix in their seeds, but the
effect does not become apparent until
the seeds are planted and squashes
are produced the following season;
thus it will be seen that seed taken
rom squashes. which may yield crop
where every specimen grown may show
marks of impurity. It is important
hat the laws of admixture may be I'M
lerstood, that the risk incidental to
seeds that look pure should
'e more generally known. No matter
low many varieties may be planted
ogether. no crossing from the result
# that planting will be seen in the ex-
ernal color, shape or appearance the
anne senson.
10 have squash seed pure the
quashes from which they are taken |
must have been grown in an isolated |
ocality. Where different varieties are
'rown in the same locality. and it is
esired to keep any one variety pure.
may be accomplished by preventing
ny male flowers of the other varieties /
rom maturing. The fruit from any
articular blossom may be kept pure
y covering with screen. removing
My to fertilize with pollen from male
over of its own vine. Many people
rofess to classify squashes as to male
r female from their appearance of the
alyx end of the squash. This is i'm
Ossible, as every individual seed in
very squash contains the two sexes in
self in its capacity to produce male
nd female flowers. Inter-
'cean.
SALT AS A LUXURY.
n Experience in High Prices That Beats
Any Thing Yet Recorded.
':Dr. Hibberd talks about paying
hree dollars Tin California, where the
old fever first broke Out) for five