198 OF RAISING CUCUMBERS. SIJCT. XIV, 



tendrils off as they appear, but take care not to 

 break any of the leaves. When the days get long, 

 and prove very sunny, the shade of a single rtiat, for 

 two or three hours in the middle of the day, will be 

 proper, as suppose from eleven or twelve to two or 

 three* 



Thus very particular directions have been given, 

 but still much will depend upon circumstances, and 

 discretion must direct. Let it be remembered, no 

 neglect will be borne with. If any imprudent person 

 should lift the lights high, to pry into the bed in 

 improper weather, perhaps an early tender crop 

 might at once receive their death blow, though ex- 

 posed but a very short time. Success in raising cu- 

 cumbers and melons chiefly depends upon keeping 

 the bed in due temper; the plants being neither burned 

 nor chilled. 



Setting the fruit is the practice of most good gar- 

 deners, as generally insuring the embryos from going 

 off, as they are apt to do at an early season ; when 

 not much wind can be suffered to enter the bed, and 

 no bees or insects are about, to convey the farina 

 from the male flowers to the female. The male 

 flowers have been ignorantly called false blossoms, 

 and so have been regularly pulled off (as said) to 

 strengthen the plants, but they are essential to im- 

 pregnate the female flowers ; i. e. those that shew {he 

 young fruit at their base; This impregnation, called 

 setting the fruit, is artificially done thus : 



As soon as any female flowers are fully open, gather 

 a newly opened male flower, and stripping the leaf 

 gently off from the middle, take nicely hold of the 

 bottom, and twirling the top of the male (reversed) 

 over the center of the female flower, the fine ferti- 

 lizing dust from the male part will fall off, and ad- 

 here to the female part, and fecundate it, causing the 

 fruit to keep its colour, swell, and proceed fast to* 



