208 



JODRNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AUD COTTAGE GABDENEH. 



[ B«plcmber 9, 1689. 



Beano, Potatoes, Vegetable Marrows in the kitchen garden are 

 all black, and in the flower garden Scarlet Pelargoninms quite 

 spoilt for the Beaion. I hear that at Lord Bronnlow'e, near 

 Grantham, even Broccoli is killed. I think the "olJeet in- 

 haliiant " cannot remember a iroat in Aagugt. — J. li. Peabson, 

 Chilicell, Notts. 



G.VIIDENEES' EXAMINATIONS. 

 TiiE following are the names of those who took certificates, 

 and the number of marks obtained at the Boyal Horticultural 

 Society's examination of gardeners, .July l">th. The names of 

 Chiswick etadents are marked with an asterisk. James Hudson 

 obtained the whole number of marks in Fruit and Vegetable 

 Culture, being the first candidate who has done bo. 



CUCUMBER CULTURE.— No. 9. 



ErDGE AND Hand-glass Culture. — At the beginning of May 

 prepare some stable litter in the same manner as for hotbeds, 

 and when this has acquired a good heat, and parted with its 

 rankness, without becoming too much decayed, it is fit for 

 ridge Cucumbers. Select an open situation, sheltered from 

 the east and north winds by a wall or fence, and to the west aa 

 ■well, for the violent winds we frequently have from this quarter 

 do great mischief to the leaves. For ridge crops I usually 

 select the west end of a south border, as I find the plants 

 succeed best in such a position. 



Having chosen the best situation for warmth and shelter, 

 take out trenches 15 or 18 inches deep, and from 2 feet to 

 2 feet 6 inches wide, allowing G feet between theonteide of one 

 trench to the outside of the other. Fill the trenches with well- 

 fermented dunp, making it 8 or 9 inches higher than the 

 ground level, and cover with the soil to the depth of 8 inches, 

 and in the form of a ridge. In the centre of each ridge, at 

 every 3 feet, place a hand-glass — those which are square 

 and have moveable tops are the best ; there I draw off some of 

 the soil, and replace it with 3 or 4 inches thick of light turfy 

 loam two part.i, and one part leaf mould, finally covering with 

 about an iuch deep of finely silted soil of the above description. 

 On the third or fourth day sow about a dozen seeds under each 

 hand-glass, to make sure of four plants, none of the seeds 

 being nearer the outside than 6 inches, the proper distance 

 for all. The seeds are placed on the surface at equal distances, 

 and pressed into the soil with the forefinger, and to the depth 

 of the nail. The holes are then filled up, a gentle watering 

 given, and the hand-glass tops put on, and kept close until the 

 planta appear, which they will do in lesa than a week. The soil 

 in the meantime is kept moist by gentle sprinklings with 

 tepid water. 



When the plants aie up, a little air is given early in the day, 

 by lifting the upper part of the glass, and placing it crosswise, 

 varying the amount according to the weather, and closing 

 early, so as to shut in the heat of the sun. The plants will 

 have fine cotyledons and very short and thick stems, if enough 

 air be given. If the stems are weak and long, the plants are 

 kept too close and warm, and require more air. The rough 

 leaves will be broad, and of a deep green; when they appear 

 make choice of the best plants, pull up all but half a dozen, 

 and taken it their points at the second rough leaf; this is all 

 the stopping that will be required. By the time the first rough 

 leaf appears, I have the planta earthcd-up to the seed leaves 

 with the soil used for sowing in, choosing a fine warm day, and 

 giving a gentle watering with tepid water. Care should be 

 taken not to over-water, but the soil must be moist without 

 being saturated. 



When the plants have broken after being stopped, select four 

 of the best, and these, if possible, corresponding to the angles 

 of the lights or glass. The others are taken up carefally, to 

 fill any vacancies in the other lights, or they may be planted- 

 oat and covered for a time with flower-pots. The plants are 



again carthed-np, remo\iDg the lights for the purpose; pat 

 ihe soil up to where the seed leaves had been, allowing it 

 to extend somewhat beyond the lights, so as not to form too 

 much of a ridge. The lights are replaced, and the plants 

 have air and water as required. 



As soon as the plants fill the glasses, and before they become 

 crowded, the upper part of the glass is fixed, and the whole 

 light raised on the warmest side, bv a brick placed on the flat, 

 or a 3-inch pot, for three or four days, and then I place under 

 each corner a l^-inch pot. Within a week I peg down or train 

 the shoots from under the glass, distributing them equally all 

 round. When they begin to run freely, I give air again by the 

 npper part of the glasses, and by degrees withdraw this and 

 the lower part; for if left on much longer, red spider will bo 

 encouraged on the foliage beneath the lights, and will rapidly 

 spread. All the plants need after this, will be plentiful supplies 

 of water in dry weather, and occasionally regulating the shoots. 

 The ground between the ridges must be forked over as the 

 plants advance, and be kept clear of weeds. It will be found 

 advantageoua to blacken the ground with soot, after stirring 

 and making it even and fine with a fork. 



It is usual to sow the seeds nnder glass, and rear the plants 

 in frames; potting-off, and planting-out under hand-glasses 

 after well hardening-off. Some sow in the beginning of April, 

 or earlier, and the plants turned out at the end of April, or be- 

 ginning of May, are strong at the time I advise the ridges to 

 be made, and the seed sown. Those who prefer this method 

 have only to plant instead of sow, when the heat in the ridges 

 has come through, and the after-treatment is the same as above. 

 I may, however, state that the best Cucumbers I have had ont 

 of doors were those sown from the 10th to the 13th of May, 

 where the plants were to fruit. It is a practice which has been 

 followed a century, if not more. By early sowing a few early 

 and often worthless fruit are obtained, and the plants become 

 stunted, and vanish very often in a day or night without ap- 

 parent cause, not that those sown where they are to fruit are 

 exempt from the same evil, but having a stronger constitution 

 they are better able to contend with the sudden alternations of 

 heat and cold, wetness and drought, to which they are sab- 

 jected in our ever-variable climate. 



Culture in the Open Ground. — The situation onght as far 

 as possible to be similar to that described for the hand-glasses. 

 The ground should be rich, and if light all the better, as light 

 sandy soils, though drier, are warmer than heavy soils. The 

 seeds should be sown from the middle to the end of May, and 

 in the manner described for plants to be grown under hand- 

 glasses. I make a hole at every -1 feet, beginning 2 feet from 

 the end, and then allow -1 feet from centre to centre of the 

 holes. These may be 1 foot deep, and 2 feet square. A barrow- 

 load of hot dung is placed in each hole, and covered with from 

 4 to inches of soil, which ia made quite smooth, and snr- 

 faoed with about an inch of fine soil. After marking the size 

 of the hand-glass by placing it over the spot where the hot 

 dung ia, the seeds are placed over the space inside the hand- 

 glass, at an inch apart, and pressed into the soil. The holes 

 are then filled up, a gentle watering given, and the hand-glass 

 put on. In a few days the plants will be up. A little air is 

 given, but only enough to keep the plants from becoming 

 drawn. When they show their rough leaves, a little fine soil 

 should he placed round their stems to encourage the emission 

 of roots, and when there are plenty of these the plants are more 

 safely transplanted. 



When the seedlings are in the rough leaf, and before the 

 plants are earthed-up, every alternate plant should be thinned 

 out. The plants taken out may be placed two or three in a 

 pot, set in a cold frame, and kept close, shaded, and moist 

 until established, and then be hardened-oil, planting out after 

 stopping at the third leaf; or, instead of potting, they may be 

 planted out at once, making holes about 18 inches square and 

 a foot deep, and filling these with hot dung, covered with 

 C inches of soil. In the course of three or four days four 

 planta may be pricked out on each station. A large pot in- 

 verted over the spot, when the soil is put on the dung, will 

 retain the heat, so that the ground will be quite warm. The 

 seedlings are planted aa deep as the seed leaves, a gentle 

 watering is given, and the pot inverted over them, leaving it 

 close at night, hut tilted a little on one side alter the firot day. 

 By tilting more and more every day, it may he withdrawn alto- 

 gether in a week or ten days ; it should, however, be replaced 

 in cold nights, and to shelter the plants from cold, heavy rains. 

 The plants under the hand-glass will have grown rapidly 

 after the top-dressing, and will be as far advanced for planting 



