Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-07-29

How Mammoth SQuashea Are Raised.
Three mammoth squashes. which
/ grew this year, weighed 1854. 355h
and 344 pounds each. BY the same sys-
tenn Of cultivation / grow the largest
watermelons and citrons in this part OF
the country. Three citrons exhibited
this year weighed IS pounds each. My
procedure is as below, writes con-
tributor to Country Gentleman:
My land is made in good condition,
being heavily MANFRED every year; 1t
eixteen inches OF clay loan on top.
observation-disclosures squash can be
grown on any part Of it by the follow
ing method of cultivation: For each
hill l intend to plant, about the LIST
OF April take two good wheelbarrow-
loads OF hen manure and mix with four
barrows OF good soil taken from some
part Of the lot; this is mixed a second
time the middle of April. The LIST of
May add four barrows OF well-rotted
manure and mix thoroughly; then,
about the 18th Of May. make the hills
/ and plant; dig out space Z feet in
diameter and IL inches deep. fill In my
compost mixing, and with 1t some OF
the best earth which was thrown out
When finished, the hill will be about
10 feet in diameter and 6 inches higher
in the center than the surrounding lev
ell. Then plant the seed. Hills want to
be about 20 feet apart. Work the
oil ha vi &c ann a
TO run. When about 3 feet long.
mulch the ground all over for 20 feet
in diameter around each hill with horse
manure inches deep. and stake the
vines down with sticks to keep the
| wind from rolling them about, so thai
they may root at every Joint. It Ii
OF great advantage to keep the vine
from fruiting as long as possible. by
pruning all fruit bloom of until about
the last week in July. This will give
time enough to mature a 300-pounc
squash by the LIST of October, fol
there must be a big vine to pro
duce big squash. l practice fertiliz
when l think the vine is strong enough
to grow a good specimen, by cutting
on some of the fresh false bloom
trimming the corolla or flower lea
on. and rubbing the stamen in arount
the fresh fruit blooms. This is nee
morning that is unfavorabe for bee
to do their work. and it assures Thu
setting OF the specimens just wher'
you want them. 1t also gives extrs
vigor TO the growth OF fruit to be vel
pollenixed. When the first perfec
specimens have set well. say or
inches in diameter. cut all other frui
and blossoms of and nip the ends OF
vines and all bloom that shows twic'
week, so that the vine is not ex
hausted with the great quantity o
false bloom that would naturall!
come. Now, while the great growth o
the squash is going on I use liquid
four OF the principal vines OF eacl
hill-often six pals to the hill. IL
Is in dry time. Great care must b
taken to give plenty of water; for In
stance, in 1893. when grew the grea
specimen that was the largest on exhi
bition at the Worlds Fair. 1t was
dry time with us. and having the ad
vantage OF the town water service.
sprayed each hill twice week througl
August and the first two weeks Il
September. drenching the ground eac
time
l suppose all have heard OF feedin
squash and pumpkin by injecting mil
or o-Aer stun. This il a ridiculou
humbug. l have practiced sewers
methods along this line when wa
younger, but 1t only makes m
Ashamed to confess 1t, and l am nov
quite satisfied that the only thin
that will increase the size of the fruI
comes out OF the vine, and the vim
| vnnUt ifo sunrNOr@ fvcu, n. -~a,,.~