236 THE amateur's geeenhotjse 



the end of May the house is filled with seedling geraniums in 

 tiers one above the other from ground-line to roof. Of course 

 these need artificial heat, and that is provided in the usual 

 way by means of hot-water pipes. But there is an end of 

 firing here long before the cucumbers are planted, and these, 

 as above remarked, are grown without the aid of heat from 

 first to last — that is, as the word " heat " is commonly under- 

 stood. 



The seeds are sown in small pots, in light stuff", about the 

 end of March, but the early part of April is none too late. 

 The seed pots are placed on a top shelf in this same house, or 

 in any other house where they can have the full benefit of 

 sunshine. In due time the plants appear, and they are not 

 stopped. By careful nursing they ' soon take their places in 

 48-size pots, and by the time they have filled these pots with 

 roots the house is being cleared for the summer. The shelves 

 are all removed, and a bed of fresh soil is made up in the 

 border on each side. This consists chiefly of turfy loam, with 

 a small allowance of rotten manure and gritty leaf-mould. A 

 rich soil is not to be desired, but the bed should have at least 

 a foot depth of fresh material on it every year ; for the stuff" 

 that has received the drip of watering all the winter will not 

 do for cucumbers. 



The plants are not put out until the border has been well 

 warmed by the sun, this process being hastened by shutting 

 the house close for a few days. In the centre of every light 

 is placed a plant with a stick to support it ; and thereafter at 

 every opportunity a careful man constructs a trellis, first by 

 means of a few lengths of stout copper wire running length- 

 ways, and then vertical lengths of cheap tarred twine are 

 added as required by the advancing vines. It may appear by 

 the story a tedious business, but in truth it is all so simple 

 that it is almost a wonder that enough can be said about it 

 to make even one short chapter. The house is kept close for 

 at least a week after planting, unless, indeed, the sunshine is 

 very strong, and then air is given. But the management of 

 the plants is directed to securing a vigorous growth, a,nd if 

 there is an early show of fruit we remove it ; in fact, not one 

 cucumber is allowed to swell until the vines have nearly 

 reached the top o£ the house. As the house stands east and 

 west, the south side has to be slightly shaded. This is accom- 

 plished by splashing the glass with thin whitewash, so as to 



