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THE CANADIAN HGRTICULTURISI 



Early Cucumbers in a Cold Frame 



W. T. MACOUN, HORTICULTURIST, C. 

 OTTAWA, ONT. 



E. F. 



I have tried for several years with varying 

 success to raise early cucumbei-s in a cold 

 frame. The frame is permanent with about a 

 foot of earth dug out except six inches near the 

 sides. About two feet of leaves are tramped 

 down each fall and covered with six or eight 

 inches of earth, which is taken out annually. 

 Lettuce is planted on this as early as possible, 

 and in a five-sash frame five or six cucumber 

 plants are set the beginning of June, often in 

 full flower, from six-inch pots. White Spine 

 seed is used and some jnanure is put in when 

 they are planted, but I 

 can never get fruit be- 

 fore the middle or end 

 of July, when I always 

 secure a good crop. I 

 have tried planting ear- 

 lier without lettuce and 

 20 or 30 plants ; also 

 pinching vines and 

 artificial pollination of 

 bloom, but have seldom 

 succeeded, and the 

 early planted ones were 

 no more forwarded than 

 the later. I tried keep- 

 ing the sash on at night 

 and putting it down for 

 the day, but the results 

 seem always about the 

 same as the early 

 blooms always drop. 

 Could you kindly give 

 me an idea as to the 

 likely cause. I tried 

 taking off the sash alto- 

 gether the middle of 

 June, as well as water- 

 ing under the leaves so 

 as not to wash the 

 bloom. English cucum- 

 bers are ready the first, 

 but are not generally 

 liked.— (A. J. Collins, 

 Listowel, Ont. 



There are several probable causes of the 

 cucumbers not setting well. In the first 

 place it would seem as if the soil at time of 

 planting cannot be in very good condition 

 for the cucumber plants. There would be 

 very little heat in the leaves in the frame by 

 the time the cucumber plants were set out 

 and after having watered for several weeks 

 beforehand for lettuce, the soil is probably 

 cold and possibly sour, conditions which are 

 very unfavorable to cucumber plants. The 



plants are too far advanced when they are 

 transplanted to the frame and thus receive 

 a severe check. 



Most of the first blooms are male flowers 

 and hence would not be expected to set. 

 The flowers of cucumbers are very sensi- 

 tive to cold and if chilled by removing the 

 sash in a cool time, or if chilled with cold 

 water, would be likely to fall without set- 

 ting fruit. 



I should advise using about a foot of good 

 fresh manure instead of the leaves for the 



Interior of Cucumber House After Plants Are Set 



During March the vegetable growers in Es<ex county who force vegetables for the early markets 

 start most of their work. One of the pioneers of this industry is Mr. J. L. Hilborn, of Leamington, in 

 whose cucumber house the above view was secured. 



lettuce, and sowing the cucumber seed 

 among the lettuce. After the cucumber 

 plants are in bloom, and when the days are 

 warm remove the sash in the day time, as 

 pollination will be better if this is done. 

 Avoid usingf cold water. 



In growing cucumbers for pickles it will 

 generally pay to apply 50 or 60 tons of stable 

 manure to the acre, as the yield varies from 

 150 to 500 bushels an acre. 



