Forcing of Melons and Cucumbers. 



265 



not been equalled since. In 1875, the crop was partly New Jersey 

 Hybrid and partly White Spine, since which the^^latter only has 

 been grown. i_j j , ' f^ 



" In the first years, cucumbers were not wanted earlier than March 

 1st and some years they sold on commission for but twelve cents in 

 January and 

 seventy-five 

 cents in March 

 and April ; once 

 for more than a 

 dollar each. 



" I had many 

 visitors at- 

 tracted by the 

 experiment, 

 but no com- 

 petitor for 

 some ten years, 

 when, as a di- 

 rect result of 

 my showing, 

 Mr. G. M. Ken- 

 dall, of Leo- 

 minster, start- 

 ed in that 

 town, and Mr. 

 T. L. Hosmer 

 in Baldwins- 

 ville, both of 

 w^hich localities 

 are now very 

 large producers 

 of winter cu- 

 cumbers. In a 

 less degree, the 

 business has 

 spread else- 

 where; and spring crops, following lettuce, about Boston and other 

 places have become a very large business." 



B. Commercial Methods. 

 The following questions were submitted to Mr. G. M. Kendall, 

 of Leominster, Mass., a veteran grower of cucumbers under glass, 



ja^i^gil 



Fig. 13. — A productive stem of pepper tomato. 



