FRAME CROPS 



401 



most important spring frame crops. In the Norfolk 

 region, thousands of sash are devoted to this vegetable. 

 The seed is sown in greenhouses or hotbeds about 

 March 1, and as soon as the plants are up they are trans- 

 planted into veneer boxes 6 by 6 by 6 inches in size. Five 

 or six plants are set in each box and the plants are finally 

 thinned to three or four. About April 1, one box or hill 



Fig. 142. Frame cucumbers near Norfolk. 



of plants is set under each 3 by 6-foot sash, and from 

 May 15 to 20 the sash and frames are removed. 



The cucumber plants are set in every other frame, 

 and when they need no further protection, May 15 

 to 20, the alternate beds of beets are ready to market; 

 the cucumber vines are then trained over ground 

 occupied by beets only a few days before. Stable manure 

 is used in liberal amounts and supplemented by complete 

 fertilizer. Top-dressings of fertilizer are also employed 

 if additional growth is desired. When the frames are 

 removed, the ground between them is thoroughly culti- 

 vated and the cucumber vines are turned up, the soil 

 cultivated and usually top-dressed with fertilizer, and the 

 vines replaced. Spraying is also practiced. 



