Giant chili squash
Title
Giant chili squash
Creator
Lovell, J. L. (John Lyman), 1825-1903
Date
1874
Extent
1 photograph
Description
Squash played an outsized role in the early history of research at Massachusetts Agricultural College. The college's charismatic president, William Smith Clark, devised an experiment to measure the mechanical force that could be exerted by a growing plant. During the summer of 1874, Clark strapeed a Chili squash into a wood and iron framework to measure the pressure it could exert when growing. It became a public spectacle, drawing more than 10,000 squash gawkers to Durfee greenhouse to view a growing vegetable. In the end, the 47 pound squash was victorious, lifitng two and a half tons of weight.
Collection:
University Photograph Collection
Identifier
murg130_p37-i059
Cite As:
Giant chili squash, ca.1874. University Photograph Colllection