62 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



maturity at this season without the temperature exceed- 

 ing forty at night, (by fire heat), the crop will be all the 

 better. The great thing in forcing all plants of this hardy 

 nature being to avoid a high ternperatvre. This first 

 crop is usually ready by middle of December, and is cut 

 off and sold in two weeks; the soil on the benches is 

 slightly manured, dug up, and again planted (from plants 

 sown in cold frames, or in boxes in the same pit) about No- 

 vember 1st. This second, or winter crop, requires more 

 attention in growing, both in firing, watering, and airing, 

 as it matures about March 1st, and consequently has had 

 to be cared for during the coldest part of the year. The 

 third crop, treated exactly as the second, is planted soon 

 as the other is cut off, and matures about May 1st. We 

 now vary the use of the pit, by planting at distances of 

 about three feet apart along the centre of the bench, 

 plants of the White Spine Cucumber, from seed sown 

 about April first, in a corner of the pit that has been 

 kept closer and warmer than that for the Lettuce ; these 

 are planted in pots about 3 inches in diameter, and by the 

 time the benches are cleared in May, are fine strong plants, 

 that gives a full crop during the month of June — fully a 

 month sooner than from the open ground. The combined 

 value of these four crops will average about $500, for an 

 erection 100 feet in length by 11 feet in width. The esti- 

 mated expense of cultivation is : — 



Interest on $1000, cost of construction, at 10 per cent $100 



Coal, 5 tons 50 



Labor, Manure, etc 100 



Receipts 500 



Nett Profit $250 



