82 TRUCK FARMING 



be applied in a circle around the hill about once every week or 

 ten days. At the same time apply a tobacco dusting in the same 

 intervals. As the cucumber leaves begin to show, more tobacco 

 dust should be added, particularly to the under sides of the leaves, 

 on mornings when a light dew has fallen. In about six weeks 

 they will begin to bloom. At this time great care must be taken 

 to protect them against the locally known cucumber worm, and 

 for this purpose I find nothing better than a solution of arsenate 

 of lead, applied as per directions upon the package. They should 

 be dusted once a week following each application with a liberal 

 but not too heavy sprinkling of tobacco dust. 



I want to say in this connection that great care must be taken 

 to procure only such tobacco dust as is made and put up as an 

 insecticide, there being another distinct quality in the market that 

 is used as a fertilizer, to which considerable potash has been 

 added, which will burn up any melon or vine leaf with which it 

 comes in contact. Should there be any spot or blight, an applica- 

 tion of Bordeaux Mixture should be made at once, to prevent the 

 further ravages of this disease. 



Cucumbers are advantageously planted directly after we have 

 had a frost in this country ; at such times there is very little dan- 

 ger from insects. The insects in this section seem very tender 

 and can stand scarcely any frost whatever; therefore when the 

 cold comes it exterminates or thins them out to such an extent 

 that they do not bother the plants for some five or six weeks 

 thereafter, thus giving us a chance to mature a crop of cucum- 

 bers without the expense of sprays and insecticides and their 

 application, and before the insects can do much damage. They 

 often are planted after an early crop of beans, and this compact 

 soil is just right to. grow them in. 



The Arlington, White Spine, Livingston and Evergreen varie- 

 ties are largely grown. A new variety grown at Sanford, by the 

 name of Early Fortune, has met with great favor. This is an 

 extremely early variety, retaining its green color for a great 

 length of time, and reaches the market in fine shape. Those 



