No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 608 



The soil for cucumbers should be supplied with an abundance 

 of available plant food either by applying manure to the soil or 

 by mulching after the cucumbers are set. The spacing of the plants 

 varies more for cucumbers than for any other greenhouse crop. 

 When the inverted V shaped trellis is used upon which to train 

 the vines the rows are set from eight to sixteen feet apart, and in a 

 few cases even wider, and the plants from G to IS inches apart in 

 the rows. When the vines are trained upright the plants are set 

 from two to three feet apart each way. When the vines are trained 

 on an inclined or V shaped trellis the cucumbers hang below and 

 are easy to gather. The chief objection to this form of training 

 is the unequal distribution of the roots in the soil. Our practice 

 is to set the plants two feet apart each Avay one plant in a place, 

 and train the vines straight up. This gives a very even distribu- 

 tion of foliage and roots as well. While I have only meager data 

 at hand, some tests made at the Ohio Station a few years ago in- 

 dicated that the largest yield per square foot is secured when the 

 cucumers are planted two by two feet rather than much wider apart 

 one way and closer the other. 



Nearly all growers practice removing all laterals or side run- 

 ners. Some cut them olf next to the main vine while others clip 

 them just beyond the first female blossom. The last method gives 

 the most fruits in my judgment. Bees are nearly always kept in 

 the houses during blooming time to assist in the pollinating of the 

 flowers. 



As soon as the cucumbers are large enough, picking begins. After 

 the first week or two we pick three times a week. The cucumbers 

 are graded into first, seconds and culls. The second grade runs 

 smaller than the first but the specimens must be of good color and 

 not too irregular. No efl'ort is made to sell the culls. 



The Ashtabula, Cleveland and Toledo growers use the same pack- 

 age for cucumbers that they do for lettuce. We have found the 24- 

 quart berry crates a very satisfactory package to ship in. They must 

 be nailed securely and the slats removed from the tops. Some of 

 the Toledo growers turn the hose on. the cucumbers after they are 

 in the barrels. We have always avoided wetting them using a cloth 

 or gloves to clean when sandy or in need of cleaning. 



Cucumbers have the advantage over tomatoes of coming into 

 bearing earlier or sooner after they are set in the beds. There is 

 usually less work connected with the growing of cucumbers than 

 tomatoes but the toniato crop is surer. The comparative net profits 

 depends on the prices at which both crops sell. 



TOMATOES 



As I am scheduled to treat the subject of tomatoes this P. M. 

 I will only refer to this important greenhouse crop in a general way 

 at this time. The tomato is a very satisfactory crop to force in 

 greenhouses for spring and early summer markets. The quality of 

 greenhouse tomatoes is so superior to anything on the market early 

 in the season that when the trade has once learned to know the 

 difference the demand is nearly ahvays good. The crop is depend- 

 able, also, thus serious loss is seldom experienced. 



