OTHER VINES THAT ARE USEFUL 245 
but not in the least stiff or clayey. Otherwise, 
sand must be added until water will readily drain 
through. Make hills fifteen to eighteen inches 
across and about six inches deep, and set the 
young plants in the centre. As they grow, 
roots will show on the outside of the hills. Apply 
a couple of inches more of soil (to the outside, 
not the top) repeating this until the bench is filled; 
then resort to mulching and liquid manuring. 
Cucumbers are coarse feeders and need an occa- 
sional mulch of equal parts of soil and manure. 
They should also be watered freely. Keep the 
house moist during the day, but dry it off moder- 
ately by night. Look out for draughts when the 
plants are moist, for at this time they are very 
susceptible to mildew. 
The vines must be trained to a trellis several 
kinds of support may be easily made. One plan 
is to run wires lengthwise of the house about a foot 
apart and the same distance from the roof; 
stretch other wires about the same distance apart, 
only in the opposite direction— or from the 
peak to the gutter—and the same distance 
from the glass. Then train the plants to these, 
tying them wherever there is a fruit, to prevent 
its breaking down the shoot. 
Cucumbers set very freely in bright weather, 
