The Culture of Vegetables 



or peat with which a fair proportion of sharp sand has been mixed. 

 These pots to be placed in a heat of 70 to 75, and for plants to 

 last long the lower temperature is preferable. As regards the next 

 stage, the plants may be trained up rafters, or spread out on beds, 

 the first being always the better plan where it happens to be con- 

 venient. But the prudent cultivator will not be tied to rules ; he will 

 cut his coat according to his cloth, and while he has a house of 

 Cucumbers trained to the roof, he will, perhaps, also have a pit filled 

 with plants on beds. To stop severely is bad practice, for we want 

 vigorous growth ; but a certain amount of stopping must be done to 

 promote an even growth, and to distribute the fruit fairly both in 

 space and time. There has been too much said about soil, because 

 in many places a suitable turfy loam, or a good fibrous peat, may be 

 obtained, and the accidents that have befallen Cucumber growers 

 have usually been the result of bad management in respect of heat, 

 water, and air, rather than the use of unsuitable soil. But it must 

 not be supposed that we are careless about this matter. Neither a 

 pasty clay, a sour sticky loam, nor a poor sandy or chalky soil will 

 produce fine Cucumbers. On the other hand, rank manure and 

 poor leaf-mould are both unfavourable materials. There is nothing 

 like mellow loam, which can be enriched and modified at discretion, 

 without going to extremes. This being at command, the rest depends 

 on daily attention and watchfulness, which will be abundantly re- 

 warded, for winter Cucumbers, when well done, are as profitable as 

 any crop grown in our gardens. 



Ridge Cucumbers are grown in much the same way as recom- 

 mended for Vegetable Marrows. They may be put on hillocks or 

 beds, and in either case a foundation of fermenting material is 

 required to insure a crop in the early part of the summer. For a 

 late crop, the natural heat of the soil will be sufficient should the 

 summer prove to be fine, but in a cold season Ridge Cucumbers are 

 disappointing. Of the many methods of growing them, one of the 

 best is to lay out the ground in four-feet beds by taking out the 

 soil to a depth of fifteen inches, and spreading about that depth or 

 more of half-rotted manure, to which may be added any leaves, 

 mouldy hay, and other litter that may be handy. Cover with a foot 

 depth of good loam, and plant two days afterwards, protecting the 

 plants with hand-lights. The first week in May is as early as will be 

 safe in most places for the planting, and some care will be needed 

 to keep the plants moving fairly until the season is so far advanced 

 as to allow of the removal of the lights. Put them at thirty inches 



56 



