VEGETABLES 195 
the last crop of lettuce, which should be out of 
the way by the first of April. The seeds of either 
need a high temperature to germinate well, and 
may be started on the return heating pipes, care be- 
ing taken to remove them before they are injured 
by too much shade or by drying out. In sowing the 
cucumber seed, pots or small boxes, filled about half- 
full of a light sandy compost, may be used, these to 
be filled in, leaving only two plants in each, as the 
plants get large enough, with a rich compost. If 
there is a solid bed available, a trench filled with 
horse manure, well packed in, will act as a hotbed 
and help out the temperature required for rapid 
growth. If fruits are wanted for the winter, the 
tomatoes should be started in July and the cucum- 
bers early in August. They should be given a very 
rich and sandy soil, and the day temperature may 
run up to eighty degrees. Until the latter part of 
spring, when the ventilators are opened and bees 
have ready access, it is necessary to use artificial 
fertilization in order to get the fruit to set. With 
a small soft brush, dust the pollen over the pistils. 
With the English forcing cucumbers, this will not 
be necessary. While fruit is setting, the houses 
should be kept especially dry and warm. 
The vines of both tomatoes and cucumbers will 
have to be tied up to stakes or wires with raffia. 
They should be pinched off at about six feet, and, 
for the best fruit, all suckers kept off the tomatoes. 
