CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



into the alleys ; this operation also gives freedom 

 to the plant by opening the soil. 



With respect to forcing, it is very easy with 

 narrow distant beds to bring the plants somewhat 

 more fonvard in the spring, by digging trenches 

 eighteen inches wide, or wider, and above a foot 

 deep, and filling them with warm stable-dung, 

 blended with a third part of forest-tree leaves, 

 raising the dung to six inches above the surface- 

 level. The gentle warmth communicated will 

 stimulate vegetation, and it would be assisted by 

 covering the beds with hoops and mats, or with 

 boards set up ridgewise, in the event of sharp 

 frosty nights ; but forcing is more easily done by 

 removing the roots with their adhering earth, and 

 packing them closely together among good soil 

 over warm manure in hotbeds ; or in fire-heated 

 hot-houses. Successional forcing-beds are pre- 

 pared as soon as the cutting of the earlier begins 

 to decline, or even when it is at its height 



The Cucumber and Melon are somewhat deli- 

 cate in growth, and require a fine climate and 

 extremely rich soil The cucumber is usually 

 grown over a heap of old horse-dung, on a spot 

 of ground open to the south, and large enough to 

 permit a two or three light frame to rest upon it 

 Dig out the soil a foot in depth, and lay it on one 

 side, or around the trench. If this soil be a light 

 friable loam, incorporate it, a month before it is 

 to be used, with one-third part of leaf or vegetable 

 earth and old decayed dung, and again dig this 

 mixed earth two or three times. But if the soil 

 produced from four or five year old couch-grass 

 roots, harrowed from a field of sound loam, can 

 be procured, it is the best aliment for the cucum- 

 ber. The soil should be ready in April, and the 

 work of planting begun in the first week of May, 

 by filling the excavation with stable manure to the 

 height of a foot above the surface-level of the 

 unmoved earth, and placing on it the frame and 

 lights. In a week, the manure will have settled, 

 and is then to be covered with a six-inch layer 

 of soil, and a hill of dryish earth, raised a few 

 inches higher, under each light, in which eight 

 or ten seeds of any approved variety may be sown. 

 If preferred, the seeds may be prepared by previous 

 sowing, in pots in a slight hotbed, and the plants 

 so raised can be transferred to the hills. But as 

 the plan now recommended is not one of forcing, 

 it is safer to begin on the spot by sowing seed 

 and covering the bed with the lights, and those 

 with mats or boards every night. 



As the plants rise, observe them carefully, and 

 pick out the central buds when the rough leaves 

 have become strong. 'When the plants shoot 

 forth after a second stopping above the second 

 joint of the laterals, produced by the first, they 

 seldom miss to shew fruit at every joint, and also 

 a tendril, and between this tendril and the shew- 

 ing fruit, there may be clearly seen the rudiment 

 of another shoot. This shoot is then in embryo, 

 but if developed, it becomes a fruitful lateral. 

 And when the leading shoot has extended itself 

 fairly past the shewing fruit, then with the finger 

 and thumb pinch it and the tendril off just before 

 the shewing fruit, being careful that, in pinching 

 off the tendril and the shoot, the shewing fruit 

 be not injured. This stopping of the leading 

 shoot stops the juices of the plant, and enables 

 the next shoot the rudiment above mentioned 

 to push vigorously, and the fruit thereby also 



558 



receives benefit' (M'Phail.) These remarks will 

 also apply to the melon, which, however, requires 

 more heat and more careful attention. 



Whether cucumber and melon plants have been 

 raised separately in pots, or from seeds sown in 

 the frame, they ought to be progressing early in 

 June, and should be stopped occasionally, till 

 fruit begin to shew itself. The soil must never 

 be wet, but always retained in a free and rather 

 moist condition with water heated to the temper- 

 ature of the frame. No water ought to be poured 

 against the stems it should be applied to the 

 soil around the slope of the hills only. Air ought 

 to be admitted on all warm days, by tilting the 

 back of the lights till three o'clock ; but after that 

 hour, the frame should be kept closed. As long as 

 the nights are cold, cover with mats, and boards 

 over them, at sunset. Every decayed leaf and 

 weak shoot should be removed as soon as per- 

 ceived. 



In order to raise and fruit cucumbers or melons 

 before midsummer, forcing must be employed. 

 The hotbeds of the best regulated gardens are 

 conducted without masses of manure under the 

 roots ; heat is obtained by means of hot-water 

 tanks ; thus manure is economised. By this 

 method, cucumbers and melons can be produced 

 during the spring and s'ummer months with cer- 

 tainty and precision. 



Nasturtium, or Indian cress (Troptzolum 

 majus), is a native of South America. Although 

 chiefly grown as a hardy ornamental annual, the 

 flowers afford ornamental garnishing of salads, 

 and the green seeds, picked off when nearly full- 

 jrown, are used as a pickle. Any one who once 

 possesses a few varieties with choice coloured 

 lowers, can annually reproduce them, by sowing 

 seed in any way or place which may suit his taste. 

 These may be sown from the middle of March to 

 the middle of May. 



Parsley. Several kinds of parsley are in culti- 

 vation ; these are the plain, curled, triple-curled 

 leaved, and the broad-leaved Hamburg parsley. 

 The first is hardiest, and is indispensable in cold 

 districts, where large supplies are wanted in 

 winter and early spring; but otherwise, preference 

 ought to be given to the curled-leaved kinds. 

 The last has large fusiform or slender carrot-like 

 roots, which are served at table as a separate 

 dish, or used for flavouring soups, &c. and its 

 eaves are used as those of the other kinds. This 

 vegetable is one of the most easily cultivated. It 

 s sown in drills generally in March in any 

 spare patches of border, lies long in the ground 

 Before springing, and arrives at maturity the next 

 season. When it has attained this state, it may 

 36 cut when required ; even during a long winter- 

 storm, if the precaution has been taken to cover 

 a drill or two with peas-stakes or other close 

 wattling. Any plants that shew a disposition to 

 run to seed, should be pulled out, and the crop 

 may be allowed to stand for two years. When 

 really fine leaves are wanted, transplant the finest 

 curled-leaved plants, when they have three or four 

 eaves, into rich soil, at distances of eight to 

 twelve inches apart. 



Rhubarb is propagated by suckers from a 

 division of old plants, set at three to four 

 ~eet apart, the ground being previously well 

 manured and trenched to a depth of at least 

 two feet When once planted, it requires no 



