302 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



you are sure of a market, pop-corn will be found a profitable 

 crop. It bears quite close planting, and much of it will produce 

 two or more ears to a stalk. As it comes up rather weak, and 

 does not require a long season, it is best to defer planting till 

 the weather is settled and the land warm. For family use I pre- 

 fer the Rice, which has larger ears than the common white, 

 and pointed kernels. It is very tender and sweet. When grow- 

 ing for market you must grow that which will sell best. 



Cucumbers. The best varieties of cucumbers are Early 

 Russian, White Spine, Early Frame, Early Cluster, and Long 

 Green. If I was to choose one of these for all purposes, I would 

 take the Cluster. Probably the White Spine or Long Green is 

 nicer for slicing, but the Cluster makes the best shaped pickle, 

 and begins bearing very young, and does not mat the ground 

 with vines as the Long Green does. The earliest cucumbers are 

 usually grown in the hot-bed, one hill being planted to each 

 sash, after the earlier grown plants have been pulled out. For 

 the open ground they may be started in three-inch pots in the 

 hot-bed and transplanted after the weather has become warm and 

 settled. Another way in which some weeks may be gained, is 

 to use a bottomless box a foot square, at each hill. Settle the 

 boxes well into the ground and tip them to the south, and have 

 a piece of board to cover each in case of a cold rain or night. 

 For the earliest planting a single pane of glass can be used on 

 the box. These boxes will be a protection not only from cold, 

 but also from the striped bug. 



To grow a profitable crop of cucumbers plenty of manure 

 and thorough cultivation is- necessary. It is best to manure 

 both broad-cast and in the hill. I grow them very successfully 

 after early peas. The main crop for pickles may be planted from 

 June 15th to July 10th, and they will rarely be troubled by the 

 striped bug after the first-named date. The best soil for cu- 

 cumbers is a black, loamy clay, and I think they will produce 

 double on this that they will on an equally rich soil which is of 

 a lighter color and heavier. The plant requires a great deal of 

 heat, and the black soil absorbs much more heat than the lighter 

 colored one. The land should be put in good order and laid off 



