No. 4.] CUCUMBER GROWING. 413 



devoted to cucumbers and lettuce, it is evident that the 

 largest houses cost the least, whether reckoned by cost per 

 linear foot or cubic contents. For example, a house 40 

 feet wide can be built proportionally cheaper than one 20 

 feet wide. The average cost per linear foot of a number of 

 houses ranging from 18 to 23 feet in width, without piping 

 or boiler, was $18.86 ; that of a number of houses 36 to 40 

 feet in width averaged about $10 per linear foot. From 

 these figm^es it is clear that a large house costs less per unit 

 of structure than a small house, and the cost of operating 

 the same is less. The cost of crop production is cheaper in 

 a large house than in a small one ; and it would be more 

 economical to manage one large house, 40 by 300 feet, than 

 three small ones, 20 by 200 feet, having the same total area. 



Transplanting Cucumbers. 

 Most greenhouse cucumber growers start their seed in 

 boxes, or in beds in special houses. When the seedlings are 

 from 2 to 4 inches high, they transplant them into pots ; 

 they are allowed to grow 6 to 8 inches high in pots before 

 transplanting in the house. Some growers transplant twice 

 in pots, and, as a rule, the seedlings are planted deeper each 

 time in the soil, so that the cotyledons are just above the 

 surface. It is claimed that a better root system is developed 

 by this practice. The principal object to be gained by 

 transplanting cucumbers is the saving of space, time and 

 heat. Plants sufficient for a large establislmient can be 

 started in a small house especially devoted to seedlings, 

 which does not require much expense to operate ; whereas, 

 if the seeds are sown directly in beds, and not transplanted, 

 it is necessary to go to the expense of heating a large house. 

 It is also claimed that transplanted cucumbers will grow 

 faster and make better plants. Our own experiments have 

 not verified this statement, as we have never seen any differ- 

 ence in size of our plants, whether they were transplanted 

 or sown direct in the beds. Other than the saving in space, 

 heat, etc., which are important, we have never seen any 

 advantage in transplanting cucumbers. 



