528 



FOREIGN NOTICES. 



ed, and no drip ever enters the pit. The pit is bot- 

 tomed with a few rough boards, and over these 

 about 3 inches in depth of mould is put, on which to 

 set the pots level. The dung is applied fresh from 

 the stable-yard, making a very substantial lining 

 about two and a half feet in width at the bottom. 



As soon as the pit has become sufficiently heat- 

 ed, the seed is put into a pan of water, in which it 

 is allowed to steep for 24 hours ; after which it is 

 jown in pans of two inches deep, in dai-k coloured 

 mould of a light natm-e, fresh from a pasture which 

 has been under grass for many years. As soon as 

 the plants are up and the seed leaves separated, 

 they are potted off into 4-inch pots, using the same 

 mould as before with a bit of turf for drainage. 

 Two plants are put into each pot, placing the 

 plants in the pit east and west, and no water is 

 given for three or four days, in order to prevent 

 the tender stems from damping off. Air is given 

 day and night both back and front, and the heat is 

 kept up at night to 65° and by day to 70°. The 

 plants are shifted right round every three or four 

 days, and ihey are watered when required with 

 soft tepid water. 



As the plants only remain in the nursery bed for 

 about three weeks, the large pits should be prepar- 

 ed for their reception by the expiration of that time. 

 This is effected by lime washing their insides, hunt- 

 ing out all woodliee, and by covering the pipes 

 which traverse the middle of each pit at the bottom 

 for bottom heat with a layer of oak faggots ; put- 

 ting some rough dung or straw over the sticks to 

 keep the mould from mixing with the faggots. 

 The mould, rough from the fields, is put in, so as 

 to form a ridge in the centre of the pit to the depth 

 of at least 16 inches, leaving the top of the mould 

 about 2 feet from the trellis. The fire is lighted at 

 least six days before the plants are put out ; there 

 being four dozen lights to one tire, and consequent- 

 ly much cold water and mould to heat. As soon 

 as the mould is heated through, the plants are 

 planted out immediately under the centre of each 

 light, inserting them in the mould up to the seed 

 leaf- and placing a stick to each plant reaching the 

 trellis. The latter is formed by a strong stick un- 

 der each rafter, and by hazel rods about 4 feet 

 long, placed 5 or 6 inches apart. As soon as the 

 plants reach the trellis their heads are nipped off. 

 Saddles on the pipes made of zinc are kept full of 

 water, and the plants are frequently watered with 

 diluted dung water in a tepid state. Plenty of air 

 is given, and the heat is kept up by day to 70°, and 

 by night to 65°. The shoot is pinched off at the 

 fruit, and not at the joint above the fruit, as is the 

 practice with many, and by this mode the frame 

 does not get so full of useless vines. Keep the male 

 blossoms cleared off at all times, and after the 

 plants come into hard bearing every encouragement 

 must be given them, administering manure water 

 freely. V>e have 100 lights, which require a great 

 deal of tepid water up to the middle of June. 



Our plants are generally in September just as 

 healthy as ever, even after cutting three times a 

 week all the summer, and then ripening the seed. 

 We have cut on the 15th of April out of 48 lights 

 70 cucumbers at one cutting, averaging in length 

 from 12 to 16 inches j and in April this year I cut 



320 altogether. The quantity of water used during 

 bright sunshine with the plants in full bearing, is 

 about four gallons a week to each light, and this is 

 always applied by sprinkling eveiy day over head, at 

 half past three, or about that time, and then of course 

 the lights are shut down close. The water used is 

 diluted manure water, obtainedin the following man- 

 ner : Water is thrown upon the fresh dung from the 

 stables, and a tank being at hand, the water drains 

 off and carries in solution the strength of the dung. 

 I mix one gallon of this with three of water that 

 has been exposed to the sun. I never in the height 

 of summer water with cold water, for I am persua- 

 ded that half the diseases in cucumbers arise from 

 watering with cold water from tanks not sufficient- 

 ly open to the sun and air. 



The admission of air is also a matter of para- 

 mount importance. I never give air at the front of 

 the pits for this reason, that the moment you admit 

 air in front and back a dry hot current is produced, 

 which in cucumber growing above all things should 

 be avoided ; but if air is given at the back only, a 

 circulation of healed air something after that under 

 the Polmaise system will be maintained. And be 

 it remembered, the older your plants the stronger 

 heat they require. Shading is of course necessary 

 in the first instance, until the plants gather suffi- 

 cient strength, but it is only half starved, diseased, 

 and badly rooted plants that require shading all the 

 summer. To preserve them from woodliee, keep 

 four or five toads in each pit, and after the plants 

 have reached the trelli^c s ; the young woodliee 

 among the leaves may be caught by placing small 

 pots full of hay on a ledge under each light. These 

 I examine every day, and by this means find that 

 the woodliee are very much reduced in number. I 

 have paid six shillings a dozen for toads, which 

 shows the value I place upon these commonly de- 

 spised but really useful animals. 



I have bought all the new cucumbers advertised, 

 but I may, without fear of contradiction, say that I 

 have never found one so early and so productive as 

 my Black Spine. I have now had it in my posses- 

 sion upwards of fifteen years ; it took prizes at Ip- 

 swich in 1831, where it obtained first and second 

 prizes at the same show. In 1834 it took the first 

 prize at Chiswick, and in 1836 the first at Barnet. 

 And since then for seven years past it has been the 

 best at the first shows of the Royal South London 

 Fioricultural Society. 



In conclusion, to grow cucumbers fine and hand- 

 some they must be grown upon trellises ; the plants 

 will bear better, continue to produce for a much 

 greater length of time, and they will also in this 

 way grow more robust and healthy, a circumstance 

 no doubt due to the great circulation of air which 

 plays constantly around them. — Journal London 

 Hort. Society. .... 



Quince Marmalade. — Let the fruit hang on the 

 tree till one falls to the ground ; then gather the 

 crop. Pare, quarter, and core them ; but scrupu- 

 lously save every pip. The pips of quinces abound 

 in mucilage, as may be perceived by taking one into 

 the mouth and chewing it, when it will make the 

 lips stick together as a piece of gum arable would. 

 Put the quinces with the pips into a stew-pan, with 

 a sufficiency of lump sugar, and just enough water 



