90 CUCUMBER. 



been stopped ; then cut smooth the lower end of the shoot c r 

 cutting, aud stick it into fine leaf or other rich mould about an 

 inch deep, and give it plenty of heat, and shade it from the 

 rays of the sun till it be fairly struck. By this method, as 

 well as by that of laying, cucumbers may be propagated. 



" Mearns, gardener at Shobden Court, near Leominster, 

 propagates his cucumber-plants for a winter crop in this 

 way, and " finds that the plants raised from cuttings are 

 less succulent, and therefore do not so readily damp off, or 

 suffer from the low temperature to which they are liable to 

 be exposed in severe weather ; that they come into bearing 

 immediately, as they have formed roots of sufficient strength 

 to support their fruit, and do not run so much to barren 

 vine as seedlings are apt to do." He takes the cuttings 

 from the tops of the bearing shoots, and plants them in pots 

 nine inches deep, half filled with mould. He then waters 

 them, covers the tops of the pots with flat pieces of glass, 

 and plunges them into a gentle bottom heat. " The sides 

 of the pot act as a sufficient shade for the cuttings during 

 the time they are striking, and the flat glass, in this and 

 other operations, answers all the purposes of bell-glasses. 

 T,he cuttings form roots, and are ready to put off in less than 

 a fortnight." Hort. Trans, vol. iv. p. 411. 



Cucumbers increased by layers. " As soon as several 

 flower-buds appear on a plant, bend the second or third 

 joint of a branch below the blossom, fasten it firmly into 

 the ground, and cut off the capillary point of the plant ; it 

 speedily takes root, and must be separated from the parent 

 stock ; as each root has only to supply a few fruits with 

 nourishment, it saves room, labour and time, and affords 

 a constant supply for eight, twelve and more months, 

 which is not so liable to degenerate as if they were raised 

 from a variety of seeds." Gleanings in Husbandry. 



Culture. In the culture of all the crops, give proper sup- 

 plies of water in dry, warm weather, two or three times a 

 week, or every. day when very warm and dry. If the heat 

 in the hot-beds, after three or four weeks or more, be much 

 declined, and the nights or general season remain cold, let 

 a moderate lining of hot dung be applied to both sides ; 

 which will not only cause a reviving heat, but widen the 

 bed for the roots and runners of the plants to extend. 



Insects. " The fly, which is often very destructive to 

 cucumbers, melons and pumpkins, may be killed by sprin- 

 kling a mixture of tobacco water and red pepper over the 

 vines." Dom. Encyc. Sprinkle the plants with a strong 



