Year: 1879

HOW IT WAS RAISED BY HAND-A MoN-

 TANA STORY.

 Among the persons exhibiting at the territorial fair this year is James R Johnson, farmer of the Prickley Pear valley, whose ranch lies seven miles north of Helena. He has g splendid collection of grain and vegetables among the latter squash of nearly forty pounds weight, which has history too remarkable to pass unrecorded. It is of the California mammoth variety, and considerably the smallest "bulb" of several of the kind shown in the same collection. Some six or seven weeks ago-when little more than ten pounds weight -this squash was accidentally severed from it's vine by the tread of 8 farm employee. MT. Johnson deplored the accident, the vegetable being 8 favorite and the first to set from the blossom, and he entertained great ex- pectations of it. The hired man, seeing his distress, suggested that the squash be taken and raised by hand. Johnson confessed he did not know what that meant.

 It will grow and mature if you furnish the milk was the response.

 "Go ahead and do it," said Johnson, who smiled grimly, thinking that the Yankee hired man was disposed to play joke on him.

 The "orphan vegetable" with the stem and few inches of the vine left intact, was taken to the house and de- posted in garret-room, where it could get sun-bath part of each day. The stem was wound with several layers of cotton cloth, and this was submerged in dish of new milk morning and evening. The squash fed hnngrlly on the lacteal fluid. On the start it absorbed pint of milk in a few hours. This was pres- ently increased to quart, and twice 8 day it was thus rationed to the first day of the fair. It thrived wonderfully on it's novel bringing up, and neighbors who dropped in from time to time to see it expressed their surprise and astonish- ment at this singular mode of vegetable production. They watched it nurse, and could easily detect the healthy appetite draining the nutritious drink. Every one gave tue squash repeated shakes, and pressed their investigations to learn whether there was any internal evidence of all the milk which that vegetable had consumed. The squash prospered amazingly, expanded in size continually, and when taken away for exhibition weighed within a fraction of forty pounds.

 There were many at the fair whose curiosity was greatly excited about the squash, and MT. Johnson promised to cut the vegetable in the presence of witnesses and exhibit to them it's "true inwardness. This was done before a largs conoourse of people, and the amazement of the multitude may be pictured but not described when it was opened to their wondering eyes. Divided carefully in the middle the top half was removed, disclosing globe of beautiful, golden-hued butter, with plump filled seeds peeping out from all sides of the luscious-looking ball. Its weight was estimated by many of the best judges at ten pounds, and was as fresh and fra grant to the smell as Q spring blown daisy. It was the unheard-of novelty more than the surpassing beauty of the sight that raised the enthusiastic out burst, ,'of the crowd as they viewed the remarkable blending of farm and dairy produce. The meat" of the squash, in richness of color, equalled that of the butter ball, and, after everybody has had a fair chance to see and satisfy themselves of the genuineness of both, and investigate to their hearts content the unique exhibit, it will be divided up and parcelled out to dozen or more parties, to whom also will be given DOT tions of the butter for trial. MT. John son receives from the citizens of Helena special premium of twenty dollars for this rarest specimen of butter squash " ever raised by hand, or for that matter, by natures own process. We think it will be generally acknowl- edged wondrous product, the counter part of which has probably never before been seen or heard of in Montana or any other part of the world.- Helena Mo7atGn0) HeYGId.