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JCU 



CUCURBITACE^E. IV. CUCUMIS. 



sooner than those raised from seeds, but they are not of so long 

 duration. 



Upright training. " Cucumber plants being climbers by 

 means of their tendrils, some branchy sticks being placed to any 

 advancing runners, they will ascend and produce fruit at a dis- 

 tance from the ground, in a clean growth, free from spots, and 

 well flavoured." 



Setting the fruit. " The cucumber," Abercrombie observes, 

 " bears male and female blossoms distinctly on the same plant. 

 The latter only produce the fruit, which appears first in minia- 

 ture, close under the base, even before the flower expands. 

 There is never any in the males ; but these are placed in the 

 vicinity of the female blossoms : the fruit of which will not 

 otherwise swell to its full size, and the seeds will be abortive. 

 The early plants under glass, not having the full current of the 

 natural air, nor the assistance of bees and other winged insects, 

 to convey the farina, the artificial aid of the cultivator is neces- 

 sary to effect the impregnation. At the time of fructification 

 watch the plants daily ; and as soon as a female flower, and some 

 male blossoms are sufficiently expanded, proceed to set the fruit 

 the same day, or next morning at farthest. Take off the male 

 blossom, detaching it with part of the foot-stalk. Hold this 

 between the finger and the thumb ; pull away the flower leaf 

 close to the stamens and anthers, which apply close to the stigma 

 of the female flower, twisting it a little about, to discharge 

 thereon some particles of pollen or fertilizing powder. Proceed 

 thus to set every fruit, as the flowers of both sexes open, while 

 of a lively full expansion, and generally perform it in the early 

 part of the day, using a fresh male if possible for each impreg- 

 nation, as the males are usually more abundant than the female 

 blossoms. In consequence the young fruit will soon be ob- 

 served to swell freely. Cucumbers attain the proper size for 

 gathering in about 15, 18, or 20 days from the time of setting, 

 and often in succession for 2 or 3 months or more in the same 

 bed by good culture. The above artificial operation will be 

 found both necessary and effectual in forcing the cucumber, 

 between the decline of autumn and May, while the plants are 

 mostly shut under glass. In plants more fully exposed to the 

 free air, in the increasing warmth of spring, and in having the 

 full open air in summer, from June and July till September, the 

 impregnation is effected mostly or wholly by nature. The male 

 flowers being by some ignorantly denominated false blossoms, 

 are often plucked entirely off as useless, under the notion of 

 strengthening the plant ; but this should not be generally done. 

 Where crowded too thick in clusters, some may be thinned out 

 moderately ; but their agency being absolutely necessary in fer- 

 tilizing the females, they should only be displaced as they begin 

 to decay, except where they are superabundant." " It is the 

 female blossoms of flowers," M'Phail observes, " that bear the 

 fruit ; but if they were not to be impregnated by the male 

 flowers they would prove barren and unfruitful. The female 

 blossoms are easily to be distinguished from the male ones, for 

 the rudiment of the fruit is apparent at the bottom of the female 

 flower, and the flowers have no stamina, but have three small 

 pointed filaments, without summits ; whereas the male blossoms 

 have not any rudiment of fruit about them, but in the centre of 

 the flower are three short stamina, which are inserted in the 

 corolla. When the female or fruit blossoms are in full blow, 

 take the male blossom which is in full blow, and holding it in 

 one hand, with the other split and tear off the corolla, taking 

 care not to part the stamina or male parts. Then hold the male 

 blossom thus prepared between the finger and thumb of the 

 right hand, and with the left hand gently lay hold of the female 

 blossom, and holding it between the two fingers, put the pre- 

 pared male blossom into the centre of the female blossom, and 

 there the farina or pollen of the anthers clings or sticks to the 



8 



stigmas, and thus the impregnation of the fruit is effectuated, and 

 the plants are thereby rendered fruitful, which, being in frames 

 in a climate by art made for them, would otherwise in a great 

 degree be rendered barren and unproductive ; and which I have 

 frequently known to have'been the case, even when at the same 

 time the plants were in a vigorous flourishing state. Generally 

 leave the prepared part of the male blossom sticking in the 

 centre of the female one, and take a fresh male blossom to every 

 female blossom. But if the male blossoms run scarce, which 

 seldom or never happens, make one male blossom do for two or 

 three females." Nicol states, that cucumbers will grow and 

 will arrive at full size without the female flowers being impreg- 

 nated : the seeds, however, will prove abortive. The directions 

 he gives for impregnating are in substance the same as those of 

 M'Phail. The fruit being set and swelling, some lay fragments 

 of glass or slate beneath it in order to keep it clean, and to ad- 

 mit as much air and light as possible to the under side, so as to 

 cause its approach in greenness to the upper. 



On keeping a fine bloom on cucumbers. The art of producing 

 and keeping a fine natural bloom on cucumbers, either for a 

 gentleman's table for show, or for the market, merits great at- 

 tention, both as to the perfect appearance of the fruit, and also to 

 the general culture of the plant, after the fruit is set. From 

 that time a strong bottom heat should be given with dung linings ; 

 or, if late in the spring, short grass laid round the frame on 

 the dung, will cause a very strong heat. Water ought then to 

 be given plentifully, always at the back part of the frame ; and 

 at no time should the plants be watered over their leaves, when 

 the fruit is wanted for its fine delicate bloom and long regular 

 shape. A fine foliage over all the bed is likewise a very essen- 

 tial point ; and leaves should never be picked off near the fruit, 

 as it thereby deranges the juices of the plant, and consequently 

 the fruit does not swell off finely. Air also should be given 

 very sparingly in the middle of the day, even in bright sunshine, 

 and generally there should be a little left in the night, when the 

 bottom heat is very strong, as by that means the air in the 

 frame is kept sweet. When the fruit is fit to eat, for any of the 

 above purposes, great care should be taken to pack it in narrow 

 wooden boxes, in the largest nettle-leaves that can be got, filling 

 up the interstices with well-beaten moss, and covering over with 

 soft leaves of any kind. It may then be sent to a great distance 

 with a fine bloom, and, upon the whole, in a perfect state. 

 Geo. Fulton, ex Loud. gard. mag. 6. p. 709. 



Gathering the crop. Cucumbers are used green and unripe, 

 and before they have attained their full size. They are cut and 

 gathered when 4, 5, C, or 8 inches long, according to the kinds. 

 To this size they attain in 10 days or a fortnight in the best 

 part of the season. 



To save seed. " Select some best summer fruit, from good 

 productive plants, which permit to continue in full growth till 

 they become yellow. Then cut them from the vine, and place 

 them upright on end in the full sun for 2 or 3 weeks, when they 

 may be cut open, and the seed being washed out from the pulp, 

 spread it to dry and harden ; then put it up in papers and 

 bags for future sowing. It will remain good many years ; and 

 seed of 3 or 4 years' keeping is preferable for early frame 

 crops." 



On forcing cucumbers. In growing cucumbers under lights, 

 " the most obvious defects," according to Mr. Allen, " are com- 

 post of too light a quality," and " dung not sufficiently worked 

 before it is earthed over." Mr. Allen has been in the habit of 

 growing early cucumbers under frames, on common dung-beds, 

 for twenty years, always producing abundance of fruit from 

 March till October. In 1823 he worked 70 lights for the 

 London market, the produce of which was 3360 cucumbers, or 

 4 dozen to a light, " a greater product than is usually obtained 



