292 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



of the bench and a double row 18 inches apart through the middle 

 of the bench. It is well, however, to allow as much space as possible. 

 The cucumber is a rank-growing plant and many side branches will 

 develop if sufficient space is allowed. 



Training the Plants. As soon as the plants show a tendency to 

 run they should be trained so as to keep them from becoming unduly 

 tangled and in order to fill all the space upon the trellis. Galvanized 

 wires No. 16 can be run lengthwise of the house and stapled to the 

 supports, which should be placed about 6 feet apart. Upon side- 

 benches which are elevated it will be necessary to train the cucumbers 

 to the framework of the greenhouse. For this purpose screw eyes 

 about 8 inches in length can be placed in the sash bars at intervals 

 of 4 or 5 feet and the parallel wires to which the vines are to be tied 

 stretched 12 inches apart lengthwise of the house through these 

 screw eyes and firmly fastened at the ends. The vines should then 

 be loosely tied to the supporting wires with raffia or soft cotton yarn. 

 When the fruits become heavy, as in the case of the English varieties, 

 it will become necessary to truss them to prevent their weight 

 breaking the vines. Heavy fruits will cause the supporting wires 

 or bands of raffia to break or girdle the vines unless they are 

 supported independently. The American varieties seldom attain 

 sufficient size to require this precaution. Fruits of these varieties 

 as soon as they are 8 to 10 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter 

 are harvested for market. The vines are usually sufficiently strong 

 to withstand the weight of fruit of this size. 



Pollination. The cucumber, like the other members of the 

 gourd family to which it belongs, bears two kinds of blossoms on 

 widely separated parts of the plant. The staminate or nonfruit- 

 bearing flower is the first to appear and is in general borne near the 

 base of the plant. The pistillate blossom with the embryo 

 cucumbers at its base appears later and is borne near the extremity 

 of the newly forming and rapidly growing shoots. Since these 

 flowers are normally produced in this way, it is necessary that a 

 transfer of pollen be made from the staminate to the pistillate 

 flowers throughout the agency of insects or by other artificial means. 

 Under greenhouse conditions and at the time of year that the cucum- 

 ber is forced it is necessary to provide for pollination. In small 

 establishments this work can be done by hand. The staminate 

 blossoms are removed, the petals turned back so as to allow the 

 anthers to project, and the pencil thus produced is then thrust into 

 the cup of the pistillate flower in such a way as to distribute pollen 

 upon the stigma of the pistillate flower. In large establishments 

 where hand pollination is out of the question a colony of honey bees 

 is placed in each house to accomplish the work. (F. B. 254, 255; 

 Mass. Ag. Col. E. S. 87; Iowa Ag. Col. E. S. 47.) 



DANDELION. 



Sow the seed of dandelion in spring in drills 18 inches apart, 

 covering it one-half inch deep. Thin the plants to about 12 inches 

 apart and give good clean cultivation throughout the summer. In 

 me colder parts of the country it may be desirable to mulch slightly 



