THE CUCUMBER. 159 



planted early, not only are the seeds liable to decay in the 

 ground, but the young plants are frequently cut off by frost. 



The hills should be five or six feet apart in each direction. 

 Make them fifteen or eighteen inches in diameter, and a foot 

 in depth ; fill them three fourths full of thoroughly digested 

 compost, and then draw four or five inches of earth over 

 the whole, raising the hill a little above the lev.el of the 

 ground ; plant fifteen or twenty seeds in each, cover half an 

 inch deep, and press the earth smoothly over with the back 

 of the hoe. When all danger from bugs and worms is past, 

 thin out the plants, leaving but three or four of the strongest 

 or healthiest to a hill. 



Taking the Crop. As fast as the cucumbers attain a 

 suitable size, they should be plucked, whether required for 

 use or not. The imperfectly formed, as well as the sym- 

 metrical, should all be removed. Fruit, however inferior, 

 left to ripen on the vines, soon destroys their productiveness. 



Seed. As cucumbers readily intermix or hybridize when 

 grown together, it is necessary, in order to retain any variety 

 in its purity, to grow it apart from all other sorts. When a 

 few seeds are desired for the vegetable garden, two or three 

 of the finest-formed cucumbers should be selected early in the 

 season, and allowed to ripen on the plants. In September, or 

 when fully ripe, cut them open, take out the seeds, and allow 

 them to stand a day or two, or until the pulp attached to 

 them begins to separate ; when they should be washed clean, 

 thoroughly dried, and packed away for future use. 



For Pickling. The land for raising cucumbers for pic- 

 kling may be either swarded or stubble ; but it must be in 

 good condition, and such as is not easily affected by drought. 

 It should be deeply ploughed, and the surface afterwards 

 made fine and friable by being thoroughly harrowed. The 

 hills should be six feet apart, and are generally formed by 

 furrowing the land at this distance in each direction. Ma- 



