FORCING CUCUMBERS. 



insure their heading before the approach of extreme warm 

 weather, which is very injurious to Cauliflower. 



FORCING CUCUMBERS. 



To produce Cucumbers at an early season, should be an 

 object of emulation with every gardener. The business of 

 forcing them should commence about eight or ten weeks 

 before the fruit is desired, and a succession of plants should 

 be raised to provide for accidents. Some choose the Short 

 prickly, other, the Green Cluster and Southgate ; and 

 seed that is two or three years old is generally preferred, as 

 it is not so apt to run to vines. 



The seed is generally sown in pots or boxes of light rich 

 mould, and placed in a hot-bed ; and some sow the seeds in 

 the earth of a small bed prepared for the purpose. In 

 either case, as soon as the plants have fully expanded their 

 two seed leaves, they may be transplanted into pots ; put 

 three plants into each pot ; when this is done, apply water 

 warmed to the heat of the bed, and shut down the glasses, 

 keeping them a little shaded by throwing a mat over the 

 glass, till the plants have taken root. When they are about 

 a month old, they will be fit to transplant into the fruiting 

 bed. 



Well preparing the dung, is of the greatest importance in 

 forcing the Cucumber, and if not done before it is made 

 into a bed, it cannot be done after, as it requires turning 

 and managing to cause it to ferment freely and sweetly. 

 Fresh dung from the stable should be laid into a heap, 

 turned three times, and well mixed with a fork ; if any 

 appears dry, it should be made wet, always keeping it 

 between the two extremes of wet and dry, that the whole 

 may have a regular fermentation. 



A dry situation should be clio?en for beds to be formed 

 on, so that no water can settle under the dung. The sub- 

 stance of dung from the bottom 6f the bed should be from 

 three to four feet, according to the season of planting, and 



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