SECT. XIV. OF RAISING CUCUMBERS. 177 



and attention is necelTary to produce them* All 

 favourable circumltances coinciding, as lowing the 

 forwardeit feed in kind, mild and funny weather, and 

 plenty of dung, with good frames, managed by fkill 

 and indulfry, early cucumbers are fometimes railed in 

 about eight weeks, and later in the feafon have been 

 railed in lix ; but near upon three months mull com- 

 tnonly be allowed. - 



A bed being ready, agreeable to the directions given 

 in the laft fection, which may be four feet high in 

 January, three and a half feet in February, and three 

 teet in March, or the medium as a general rule; let it 

 be covered with the frame and lights, raifing the glalTes 

 a little to let off the fleam that will, come ltrongly 

 irom the bed. 



When the heat has been up three or four days in a 

 fingle light, or a day or two more if a two lighs 

 frame, let it be taken off, and fee that the furface of 

 the bed is perfectly level, but rather rifing behind ; 

 and if you think the bed is hardly flrong enough, the 

 opportunity is given to add a courfe or two more of 

 dung. Having levelled the bed neatly with the fork, 

 l>eat it fmooth with a fhovel or fpade, and put the frame 

 and glafs on again. 



The temper of the bed is now to be attended to,, that 

 it be not moulded till the burning heal is over; a judg- 

 ment oi which may be formed, by keeping two Iharp 

 pointed fmooth Hicks thruft in behind, and occafionally 

 drawing and feeling them, by a quick grafp of the 

 hand.. Endeavour to hit the exacl time, not putting 

 the mould on too foon, as it is liable to burn, nor 

 delaying too long, and fo to lofe time, and too much 

 ot that heat, the bed war, made for. 



The moulding is thus ; lay all over the. bed about 

 three inches thick of rich loofe (not over light) and 

 dry earth, and add as much in the centre of the light- 

 as will raife a hill eight or nine inches deep, winch a9 

 ibon as warm through, is to be ufed, except the bed 

 1 . 5 feem i 



