CHAPTER XXI. 



THE CUCUMBER. 



CUCUMBER. Cucumis sativus. 



French, concombre ; German, gurke ; Dutch, komkommer ; Danish, 

 agurken; Italian, cetriolo; Spanish, cohombro; Portuguese, pepino. 



The cucumber is rather an exacting plant and seldom yields 

 anything but disappointment to the grower who does not give it 

 the most watchful care and generous supplies of food and drink. 

 It is very sensitive to frosts, nor does it thrive in low temperatures 

 even if free from frost. It rejoices in heat, but it abhors drought. 

 It is not content, like some members of its botanical family, to 

 thrive in dry heat if it can find moisture below; the heat reflected 

 from a dry surface and interior sunshine beaming through dry air 

 brings distress to its foliage. For these reasons it usually resents 

 location on interior plains unless it can have abundant moisture and 

 some protection from heat such at least as locally may come from 

 modifying the air immediately around it, by evaporation from water 

 standing near. Modified interior conditions such as are found on 

 river-side lands, or moist lowlands often yield fine growth and pro- 

 ductiveness, but even there it is often necessary to keep the moist- 

 use close to the plant by irrigation. In coast valleys where heat and 

 moisture are well balanced and on soil rich and moist by cultivation 

 the plant may be productive enough without irrigation, but as a rule 

 even in parts of coast valleys where the heat runs high, as ocean 

 influences are reduced, not only is occasional irrigation needed, but 

 constant supplies are the price of thrift in the plant. For these rea- 

 sons the placing of cucumbers along the main ditches where water 

 frequently or always flows, or the use of a raised bed with water 

 flowing on the ridge, is the surest way to make the plants satisfac- 

 tory and prolific where the heat runs high. And yet, as stated, 

 there are considerable areas in different parts of the state where 

 conditions are so favorable that field growth of cucumbers for the 

 market and for the pickle factories, is feasible without irrigation. 

 There are moist lowlands, rich and warm, where the foliage does 

 not show burnt edges and where the free growth of vine is marvel- 

 ous to one who has tried to push the plant in places too trying for it. 

 It is also possible in f restless regions where heat comes early in the 

 spring, to find conditions for an early crop which is disposed of 

 before trying summer conditions come on. Early spring condi- 

 tions in California are widely favorable to the plant did not the frost 

 factor intrude. Autumn growing is also practicable where moisture 

 is adequate, for then heat and drought are modified. Cucumbers 

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