18 



CUCURBITACE^E. IV. CUCUMIS. 



or tripled, and if mild perhaps a single one will suffice. But 

 unless in very bad weather they should always be removed by 

 sunrise, in order to admit all the sun and light possible to the 

 plants, which are very essential to their welfare. When the plants 

 are about an inch and a half high, they are then fit to be pricked 

 out into nursing pots. These pots should be about 3-j or 4 

 inches in diameter at top, and as much in depth. The mould 

 to be used should be the same as that in which the seeds are 

 sown, and should be laid in the frame a few hours previous to 

 potting, in order to bring it to a proper degree of warmth, that 

 the tender fibres be not chilled by it. Let the pots be filled 

 about one half with the earth, turn the plants carefully out of 

 the seed-pot ; place three in each, against the side of the pot, 

 and so as their leaves may be just above its margin ; then cover 

 the roots with the mould, rubbing it fine between the fingers, 

 and filling the pots nearly to the brim. Work over the sand in 

 the frame to its full depth, plunge the pots to within an inch of 

 their rims, and cover the whole surface with a little dry earth as 

 at first, making it level with the tops of the pots. Then give a little 

 aired water, in order to settle the earth to the roots of the plants. 

 The plants will now require due attention. Let air be admitted 

 to them as freely as the state of the weather will allow, and 

 supply them moderately with water once in 2 or 3 days. Exa- 

 mine the pots frequently, if the heat be violent, lest the roots 

 be scorched, setting them loosely or pulling them up in that 

 case, or if thought necessary, placing them entirely on the sur- 

 face. If much steam abound in the bed at this time, it may be 

 proper to leave the light tilted half an inch in the night, ob- 

 serving to hang the lap of a single mat 2 or 3 inches over the 

 tilt. But if the bed was carefully turfed over, as directed at 

 making up, this will seldom be necessary, never but in thick 

 hazy weather. Mat up carefully at night, but make a point to 

 admit all the sun and light possible to the plants ; therefore, 

 uncover always by sun-rise ; and frequently wash and wipe the 

 glasses clean, outside and inside, as they are often clogged by a 

 mixture of steam and dust. Also, occasionally stir the surface 

 of the sand or earth in the frame with the point of a stick, -in 

 order to extirpate vapour, that hovers on the surface, and so 

 purify the internal air of the bed. If the heat begin to decrease, 

 and particularly if the weather be severe, it may be necessary 

 to line one or more sides of the bed, that the plants may receive 

 no check in their growth. If it be a 1 -light box, both back and 

 front may be lined at the same time, and, if necessary, in 10 or 

 12 days, the two sides ; and if much steam arise from the 

 linings after they come into heat, be careful in matting at night, 

 to tuck up the edges of the mat, lest it be thrown into the bed." 

 Mills, as soon as the seed-leaves of the plants are fully ex- 

 panded, transplants them singly into pots of 48th size, gives a 

 little water and air night and day. His temperature for seed- 

 lings, as already stated, is from 65 to 75. With this heat and 

 water, as the earth in the pots becomes dry, and a little air night 

 and day, so as to keep the internal air in the frame sweet, and 

 fluctuating between the degrees of heat above mentioned, the 

 plants will be fit for finally transplanting out in a month, that is, 

 by the 14th of November, into the fruiting-frames. 



Forming the fruiting bed. Abercrombie directs, " When the 

 plants are advanced in some toleiable stocky growth, that is, 

 when the first rough leaves are 2 or 3 inches broad, or when the 



Elants have been raised about five weeks, transplant them to the 

 trger hot-bed, with a 2-light or 3-light frame, sometimes 

 called the ridging-out-bed." Form the bed on general prin- 

 ciples, of superficial extent, according to the frame it is to sup- 

 port, leaving from 4 to 6 inches all round, and fixing the height 

 according to the season. Thus in January, Abercrombie directs 

 " the bed to be 3 feet 9 inches high in front, 4 feet 6 inches at the 

 back, and 6 inches larger than the frame all round. In February, 



3 feet 3 inches high at the front, 4 feet at the back, and 4 inches 

 to spare round the frame. In March, 3 feet high in front, 3 feet 

 6 inches at back, and 4 inches beyond the frame every way." 

 " Put on the frame and glasses presently after the body of the 

 dung is built up, to defend it from the weather. At the same 

 time raise the glasses a little at the upper end, in order both 

 to draw up the heat sooner, and to give vent to the rising steam, 

 until the bed is reduced to a regular temperature. In connec- 

 tion with the thermometer, the cultivator may be assisted to form 

 a judgment of this by trying sticks, that is, 2 or more sharp- 

 pointed smooth sticks, thrust down in different parts of the bed, 

 which at intervals may be drawn up, and felt by a quick grasp 

 of the hand. The smell of the vapour is also a criterion ; it 

 should not be strong and fetid, but mild and sweet. While 

 taking care that the heat is not so intense as to burn the mould 

 when applied as below, let it not be suffered to evaporate un- 

 necessarily by delay. If the temperature appear to be not suffi- 

 ciently high, take off" the frame, and add another course of dung." 

 M'Phail, when he fruits the cucumber on dung beds, begins to 

 make preparation for the fruiting-bed, about 3 weeks before the 

 plants are ready to be planted for good. The dung collected, 

 after being well worked, is " made up into a bed of about 4 or 

 5 feet high, and the frames and lights set upon it. It is after- 

 wards suffered to stand for a few days to settle, and until its 

 violent heat be somewhat abated ; and when it is thought to be 

 in a fit state for the plants to grow in, its surface is made level, 

 and a hill of mould laid in just under the middle of each light, 

 and when the mould gets warm the plants are ridged out in it. 

 After this, if the bed has become perfectly sweet, and there be 

 heat enough in it, and the weather prove fine, the plants will 

 grow freely." Nicol builds his fruiting-bed about 4 feet high in 

 front, keeping it fully a foot broader than the frame all round. 

 He turfs it, and lays on sand as in forming the seed-bed, if the 

 dung has not been well fermented. " But otherwise, placing a 

 thick round turf, a yard over, in the middle of each light, so as 

 that its centre may be exactly under the plants, will generally 

 be found sufficiently safe." The frames are now put on, and 

 the beds matted up at night to make the heat rise the sooner. 

 Mills says, " Well preparing the dung is of the greatest im- 

 portance in forcing the cucumber, and if not done before it is 

 made into a bed, it cannot be done after, as it requires turning 

 and watering to cause it to ferment freely and sweetly ; fresh 

 dung from the stable will require at least 6 weeks' preparation 

 before it will be fit to receive the plants. A month before it is 

 made up into a bed, it should be laid up into a heap, turned three 

 times and well shaken to pieces with a k fork ; and the outsides 

 of the heap turned into the middle and the middle to the outsides, 

 that the whole may have a regular fermentation, and if any ap- 

 pear dry, it should be made wet, keeping always between the 

 two extremes of wet and dry. A dry spot of ground should be 

 chosen to prepare the dung on, that the water may drain away 

 from the bottom of the heap. The dung having been a month 

 in heap, I make the bed as follows : I form a stratum one foot 

 high of wood of any kind, but if larger the better (old roots of 

 trees or any other of little value will do). This is to drain the 

 water from the bottom of the bed, for after a month's prepara- 

 tion, with every care, it will frequently heat itself dry, and re- 

 quire water in large quantities, which, if not allowed to pass off" 

 freely, will cause an unwholesome steam to rise, in which the 

 cucumber plant will not grow freely. On this bottom of wood, 



1 make the bed 4 feet high with dung, gently beating it down 

 with a fork. This is done about the 1st of November, and by 

 the month of February the 4 feet of dung will not be more than 



2 feet thick, which, with a foot of wood, at the bottom, will 

 make the bed 3 feet high. This I consider a good height; 

 for if lower, it cannot be so well heated by linings, which is the 



