CUCUMBER 



309 



size early in Novem- 

 ber; there should be 

 full pickings at Thanks- 

 giving and a liberal 

 supply for the Christ- 

 mas market. 



There is a wide va- 

 riation in the time of 

 starting the plants for 

 the spring crop. A few 

 growers sow about 

 February 15. Many 

 sow early in March, 

 while some of the most 

 successful greenhouse 

 growers wait until the 

 latter part of March, 

 thus growing an extra 

 crop of lettuce before 

 cucumbers are planted 

 in the beds. Then, too, 

 later sowing not only saves time, but the plants are 

 generally thriftier and probably more productive on ac- 

 count of higher temperatures and more sunshine. Noth- 

 ing is gained by very early sowing unless a special market 

 is to be supplied. If the houses are not adequately heated, 

 it is especially important to defer sowing until March 1 

 or possibly March 15. Plants which have been started 

 March 1 should be large enough to bench early in April, 

 and in full bearing during the months of June and July. 



Too much emphasis cannot be placed on the impor- 

 tance of growing good plants. The success of the crop 

 depends largely upon setting in the beds strong, vigor- 

 ous plants that have not been stunted, injured or checked 

 in growth at any time. Such plants never fully recover, 

 and they generally produce a large percentage of small, 

 irregular cucumbers that grade as seconds or perhaps as 



Fig. 106. Abundance from the originator. 



