SECT. XIV. OF RAISING CUCUMBERS. IS? 



Thus very particular dire3ions have been given, but 

 ftill much will depend upon circumfiances, and dif- 

 cretion muft dire6t. Let it be remembered, no negieSi 

 will be borne with. If any imprudent perfon Ihoukl 

 lift the lights high, to pry into the bed in improper 

 weather, perhaps an early tender crop might at once 

 receive their death blow, though expo fed but a very 

 ihort time. Succefs in railing cucumbers and melons 

 chiefly depends upon keeping the bed wrdue temper ; the 

 plants being neither burned nor chilled. 



Setting the fruit is the practice of moil good gar- 

 deners, as generally infuring the embryos from going 

 off, as tirey are apt to do at an early feafon ; when 

 not much wind can be fuffered to enter the bed, and no 

 bees or infecls are about, to convey the farina from the 

 male flowers to the female. The male flowers have 

 been ignorantly called falfe bhfjoms, and fo have been 

 regularly pulled off (as faid) to ftretigthen the plant", 

 but they are effential to impregnate the female flowers ; 

 i. e. thofe that Ihew the young fruit at their bafe: This 

 impregnation, called fetting the fruit, is artificially done 

 thus : — 



As foon as any female flowers are fully open, gather 

 a newly opened male flower, and ilripping the leaf gently 

 off from the middle, take nicely hold of the bottom, and 

 twirling the top of the male (reverfed) over the center 

 of the female flower, the fine fertilizing duff from the 

 male part will fall off, and adhere to the female part, 

 and fecundate it, caufing the fruit to keep its colour, 

 fwell, and proceed faff towards perfection. This bufu 

 -nefs of Jetting the fruit maybe praclifed through the 

 months or February, March, and April, but afterwards 

 it will not be neceffarv ; for the admiflion of fo much 

 air as may afterwards be given, will diiperfe the farina 

 effectually; but if "the weather {fill is bad, or remark- 

 ably calm, fetting may be continued a little longer. If 

 ihort 01 male flowers, one of them may ieive to im- 

 pregnate two females. Pull off all the male flowers as 



faff 



