cue 



171 



cue 



tender, not bearing the least frost. For I threatens to be too powerful. It must 



an early supply start some plant in pots ' never be neglected to cover the glasses 

 or boxes, early in the spring, and when at night, apportioning the covering to 

 the season is more advanced set them the temperature of the air and bed. 

 out on a well sheltered border, in hills. The heat should not exceed SO*-' in the 

 with some thoroughly rotted manure hottest day, or sink below 65^ during 

 incorporated with the soil. Seed for the coldest night. 



succeeding crops may then be planted. ! If the heat declines, coatings of hot 

 For pickles, plant the latter end of dung are to be applied in succession 

 June and beginning of July. The Cu- to the back, front, and sides, if that 

 cumber, like the Squash, &c., is liable ' source of heat be employed. As the 



to be preyed upon by yellow bugs 

 which are very destructive. To coun 



mould appears dry, moderate waterings 

 must be given, care being taken not to 



teract them prepare a mixture of slaked wet the leaves. The best time for ap- 

 lime and wood ashes, and sprinkle it plying it is between ten and two of a 

 freely on the leaves and stems whilst! mild day, the glasses being closed for 

 the dew is on, that it may adhere. As an hour or two after performing it. 

 often as it may be washed or blown off, The temperature of the water must be 

 repeat the application, till the enemy be 

 conquered. 



" For the method of making sieves or 

 boxes to protect cucumber vines, melon 

 vines, &c., against the yellow bug, see 

 the New England Farmer, vol.2, page 

 305. •' — Rural Register. 



To force Cucumbers. — Most persons 



between 6o^ and SO^. The interior of 

 the glass should be frequently wiped, to 

 prevent the condensed steam dropping 

 upon the plants, which is very injurious 

 to them. If the bed attains a sudden 

 violent heat, the necessary precautions 

 to prevent the roots of the plants being 

 injured or scalded, must be adopted ; 



who have the requisite conveniences ; but if hot water is the source of heat, 

 force this vegetable. The following hints 1 this danger is avoided altogether. 



may be useful, even to those who have 

 some experience. 



The hot-bed for seedlings must be 

 moderate, and a single one or two light 

 frames will be quite sufficient if dedi- 

 cated to their cultivation. The mould 



It is a material advantage if, previous 

 to planting finally, the plants be turned 

 into pots a few sizes larger, without at 

 all disturbing the roots, and plunged 

 into a hot-bed for a month longer, the 

 same attention being paid them as 



need not be more than five or six inches [ before, 

 deep. The seed is best sown four The second stage of cultivation is 

 together in small pots, and plunged in ; planting them out into hot-beds for final 



production. The hot-bed for their re- 

 ception must be of the largest size, as 

 being required to afford a higher and 

 longer continued warmth through the 

 coldest periods of the year. 



When the earth is put on, it is at first 

 to be spread only two or three inches 



the earth of the bed ; but whether here 

 or in the mould, it must not be buried 

 more than half an inch deep. Two or 

 three days after sowing, or when the 

 seminal leaves are half an inch in 

 breadth, those in the mould of the bed 

 must be pricked three together in smal 



pots, quite down to their leaves in the { deep, but under the centre of each light 

 earth, which should be brought to the a hillock must be constructed, eight or 

 temperature of the bed before this re- ten inches deep and a foot in diameter, 

 moval, by being set in it for a day or The earthing should be performed at 



two previously ; those seedlings that 

 have been raised in pots, must likewise 

 be thinned to three in each. They 

 must remain plunged in the hot-bed 

 until their rough leaves have acquired 

 a breadth of two or three inches, when 

 they are fit tor ridging out finally. 



During this first stage of growth, 

 great care must be taken that air is ad- 

 mitted everyday as freely as contingent 



least four or five days before planting, 

 at which time the earth must be ex- 

 amined ; if it be of a white colour and 

 caked, or, as it is technically termed, 

 burnt, it must be renewed, for the 

 plants will not thrive in it, and holes 

 bored in the bed to give vent to the 

 steam. 



The mould of the hillocks being well 

 stirred, the plants must be turned out 



circumstances will admit, as also at of the pots without disturbing the ball 

 night, if the degree of heat and steam ' of earth, and one containing three plants 



