The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-17
short Chapters on Vegetable Culture.
THE SQUASH.

THE SQUASH.
There are half hundred named sorts of
,7nashes. but In garden culture for summer
i nsa If is necessary to name only one sort,
and that is the "Yellow Crookneck." This
variety is preferable to all others, but a
rraat many still adhere to the early
Prshn or Patty Pan" This is a good va
,atv TO be sure, but the ''Crookneck" is a
little better, we think. These summer or
hush kinds can be planted any time from
March to August. Insects are SO bad
rsually on the late paintings it is hardly
worth making planting after May in our
section.
There may be sections where the maggot
and SQUASH bug are not so thoroughly de-
s,ructive as they are with u.s. But for these
enemies squashes may be grown any time
during the summer.
Winter squashes. which are like pumpkins
in their nature, are grown chiefly for win
fer use. Many years ago the "Cashaw,n
which may be regarded as a winter squash,
was very generally planted. but we rarely
see 1t nowadays.
Summer squashes are only fit to be used
when they are young-before the rind has
hardened.
They mature very quickly. Planted late in
March or early in April the young squashes
will be ready for use in May.
When prepared nicely for the table it is
dish relished by nearly every one, though
there is but little nutriment in it. We could
name half dozen good varieties for sum-
mer use, but, as remarked, one is enough.
We have named two, however.
" here the land is rich and the seeds
i,,k ba oil -
plant to stand every twelve inches or so in
the row, a row fifty feet long will supply
enough sQuaShes for a small family.
On rich soil we have oftentimes allowed
the vines to stand much closer even than
twelve inches The rows should be four or
five feet apart. Squash plants are easily
fired by having too much coarse, infer
lnented manure about the roots, and 1t is
well TO compost such manure well in ad-
vance and turn it over often enough to get
rid of its rankness before applying it in the
drill.
Coarse, unfermented stable manure had
better be applied broadcast. A mixture of
bone dust with ashes and little nitrate of
soda is "a good application for poor soil. If
there Is any fertility at all in the soil good
cultivation alone ought to make fair crop
of squashes. Watery and innutritious as
the young fruit are the squash plant is as
phosphoric acid and potash as other more
valuable plants are. 1t pays to make the
land rich even for squashes. Market gar
deners usually realize fair profit in grow
ing a small area for market when marketed
in first-class condition, but it is a vegetable
more readily dispensed with by housekeep-
ers than many others.
Winter squashes are grown after the
manner of pumpkins The farmer can
grow them among his corn. In the ordi
nary garden they take UP rather more
space than would be cheerfully accorded
them. Among winter squashes the Hub
bard" is perhaps as good as any, though
there are a number of good kinds. For
southern use the striped "Cashaw" is worthy
of cultivation where anything of the kind
is wanted for winter use. Put away in a
dry place the squashes will keep all winter
and will come in very handy for baking or
to MAKE into custards.