27 



such means as a " check" in bringing about this per- 

 fection of developement. A check applied as a means of 

 accelerating maturity, can only be regarded as an expe- 

 dient, rendered necessary by previous defective treatment. 

 The most commonly practised as well as the most 

 natural method of propagation, is by seeds, and this will 

 generally be found to be also the best method, if the 

 conditions required by its adoption can be properly 

 carried out. There is however, one decided disadvan- 

 tage attendant on the raising of Cucumber plants in- 

 tended for winter forcing from seeds ; and hence in a 

 great measure arises the apparent superiority of propa- 

 gating by extension : the disadvantage consists in the 

 exceedingly succulent and lax nature of the tissue of the 

 young plants ; owing to that natural principle, by which 

 their increase and extension is most especially provided 

 for during the infant stages of their existence : the result 

 is, that in consequence of the deficiency of light and solar 

 heat, which are the grand agents of vegetable fructifica- 

 tion, their sap does not become sufficiently elaborated, 

 nor their tissue rendered sufficiently solid by assimilation 

 and deposition of matter, to bring about the develope- 

 ment of floral parts ; the food and moisture imbibed, in- 

 stead of being sublimated and fully elaborated, is only 

 partially acted on by the vital and natural agents, and 

 the result is an increase of growth, but not a develope- 

 ment of fruit-bearing parts. There is nevertheless, an 

 advantage in raising plants from seeds, not only as re- 

 gards the obtaining of improved races, but also in a cul- 

 tural point of view. The science of Horticulture, does 

 acknowledge such a thing as progression, in the develope- 

 ment of plants ; the functions of nutrition necessarily go 

 on prior to those of reproduction or fructification, the 

 latter being continually dependant on, as well as being 

 the result of the former: hence we arrive at a conclu- 

 sion, that to supply uninterruptedly, ALL the elements 



