106 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



When growing for exhibition, two plants of each sort should he 

 grown, and the number of varieties grown should be nearly double 

 the number of blooms it is intended to stage. The stakes should be 

 put in the proper positions before planting, to prevent the possi- 

 bility of their injuring the roots when driven into the soil, and they 

 must be stout enough to support a considerable strain upon them. 

 AVater about every other day, until well established, if the weather 

 happens to be dry for a time after they are put out. Here we must 

 quit the subject ; but directions for the summer management shall 

 be given in time to be useful. 



The block of Fig. 1, page 82, was unfortunately put bottom 

 upwards by the printer ; but I do not suppose for a moment that 

 any inconvenience has been felt, as the letterpress and the position 

 of the other cuts are sufficient to show that the first cut was re- 

 versed by mistake. 



SUMMER CUCUMBERS. 



BY GEOEGE GBAT, 



Head GarJener, Norbiton Hall, Kingston-on-Thames. 



UCUMBERS are most assuredly of greater value and 

 more highly appreciated in the summer months than 

 they are during the winter season, independent of the 

 vast difference of the cost incurred in their production ; 

 yet it is exceptional to meet with anything bearing on 

 the management of the plants during the former period. Treatises 

 on the cultivation of winter cucumbers are so plentiful that I am 

 afraid to say how many have made their appearance during the last 

 four or five years, for fear of being considered guilty of exaggeration, 

 Avhilst, at this moment, I can only call to mind one paper in which 

 the management of summer cucumbers is specially dealt with. 

 "Writers upon cucumber-growing have, apparently, made the mistake 

 of supposing that the production of a summer crop is so easy that 

 few require any advice in the matter. Consequently, they confine 

 themselves to describing the way in which they should be managed 

 at a season when few people have the inclination or means of grow- 

 ing them. Eor my own part, I am convinced that a few practical 

 remarks on the management of cucumbers during the summer 

 months will be of considerable service, and accordingly offer them 

 herewith. 



Eor securing a regular supply throughout the summer months 

 expensive appliances are not at all necessary ; but if a structure has 

 to be erected especially for cucumbers, a low span-roof house, from 

 nine to twelve feet in width would be decidedly preferable, because 

 of its value for wintering bedding and other plants. My object, 

 however, at the present moment, is not to enter into a discussion 

 respecting the erection of cucumber-houses, but to show how a 



