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tice, and that is the preservation of particularly desirable 

 varieties; the Cucumber is a plant which readily admits 

 of hybridization, and although the result of this is some- 

 times to give rise to superior varieties, yet if impregnation 

 is permitted to take place promiscuously, the bad quali- 

 ties of particular varieties, are as likely to be combined 

 in the succeeding race, as the good and desirable ones : 

 this renders it important that the fruit which are pre- 

 served for seed, should have been carefully watched and 

 protected when in blossom, from the reach of insects ; 

 which often effect the requisite union, in consequence of 

 the pollen adhering to their bodies, and thus being 

 brought into contact with the stigma. I need scarcely 

 to say, that where only one variety is grown in any parti- 

 cular structure, the chances of admixture are less nume- 

 rous. 



The manner in which the operation of propagation by 

 cutting is performed, is very simple : the tops of healthy 

 growing shoots are taken off, at about two or three joints 

 in length ; they are then planted in deep pots, which are 

 about half filled with light earth, such as decayed vege- 

 table matter, and then covered by laying a piece of glass 

 on the top of the pot ; a simple and effective protection 

 is thus formed, the sides of the pot acting as a partial 

 shade, the glass admitting light sufficiently abundant to 

 secure the action of the leaves, and maintaining a calm 

 and moist atmosphere : the pots are to be plunged in a 

 gentle bottom heat, and the cuttings will soon become 

 rooted ; after which they may be treated as established 

 plants. 



Propagation by layers, is another method similar to 

 the last, of which it is a mere modification ; and those 

 points which mark the superiority of the one, are equally 

 applicable in the case of the other. The operation may 

 be performed in various ways : thus the branches may 

 be layered at once into the soil, when these are trained 

 c5 



