THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 291 



varying from 65 to 85 F. The amount of radiation will, of course, 

 depend upon the style of heating employed, whether steam or hot 

 water, and upon the location of the greenhouse, whether at the north 

 or the south ; the outside temperature determining to a considerable 

 extent the amount of radiation required in the house to maintain a 

 given degree of heat. 



Propagation. There are a number of methods of propagation 

 followed by successful cucumber growers, all of which have some 

 advantages. Three of the more common practices are as follows: 

 (1) To plant the seeds of cucumbers in the soil of the bench where the 

 plants are to grow and mature; (2) to plant the seeds of the cucum- 

 bers in 3-inch or 4-inch pots filled about half full of soil and after the 

 seeds have germinated and the hypocotyl or stem of the seedling has 

 elongated to fill the pots well up to the seed leaves with soil; and 

 (3) to plant the seeds in cups similar to those used for harvesting 

 strawberries, except that the cups for this purpose are usually made 

 of Georgia pine. In the first case, where the seeds are planted directly 

 in the soil on the benches, cucumbers are usually employed as a 

 crop to follow lettuce, seeds being planted in the lettuce benches 

 before the crop is entirely removed, heads of lettuce being taken out 

 at proper distances to allow for the correct spacing of the cucumber 

 plants, and the seeds of cucumbers planted in the areas so left. In 

 the other two cases the rearing of the plants for forcing purposes 

 can be carried on in a small house especially designed for this purpose 

 or in a general propagating house, thus obviating the necessity of 

 heating and maintaining normal conditions in the growing house 

 during the period previous to which the plants begin to run. 



Planting on the Benches. As soon as the plants show well- 

 developed runners and are 10 to 12 inches long they should be placed 

 in their permanent position upon the greenhouse benches. Plants 

 grown in pots must be carefully removed from these receptacles to 

 the bench, but those grown in the wooden cups above referred to can 

 be planted, cup and all, in the soil of the bench. The utmost care 

 should be exercised to keep the plants of the cucumber growing 

 rapidly at all times. If cucumbers receive a severe check or are 

 placed under conditons which are not entirely congenial to them, 

 they are liable to become dwarfed and stunted, and as soon as vigorous 

 growth ceases they become the prey of the melon aphis, mildew, and 

 other pests and diseases which are so annoying to growers of cucum- 

 bers under artificial conditions. 



Distance to Plant. After the plants have attained a height of 

 10 or 12 inches and are in a vigorous growing condition they should 

 be placed about 15 or 18 inches apart in single rows upon the side 

 benches of the greenhouse, which are normally 3 x /2 feet wide, or 

 if planted on 8-foot benches they should be planted about 10 or 12 

 inches from the edge of the bench and 15 to 18 inches apart and par- 

 allel with the edge of the bench. In the broad benches, where more 

 than a double row can be carried, plants can be set about 18 inches 

 apart and in rows about 2 feet apart. A satisfactory plan for an 8- 

 foot bench will be a row parallel with and 10 inches from cacli edge 



