No. 4.] CUCUMBER GROWING. 421 



the antlii'acnose are so great that it is a question at the 

 present time whether it is worth wliile to attempt to raise 

 cucumbers and melons out of doors, or at least not until 

 some more etficient methods have been discovered than 

 those utilized at present. 



Some of the principal diseases with which cucumbers are 

 afi'ected arc as follows : — 



Powdery Mildew (Uri/sip^ie Pol i/goni DC). — This is 

 a white, mildew-like growth, which occurs on the upper sur- 

 ftice of the leaves, and is not uncommonly seen on cucum- 

 bers grown under glass. It occurs most frequently in 

 houses which are kept too moist and dark, and which lack 

 ventilation. The most successful method of preventing uiil- 

 dew is to give the house air and light, and hold the moisture 

 down. This results in producing a crop possessed of firm 

 texture, which will be less susceptible to mildew. In case 

 the mildew has become once established in the house, 

 through some mismanagement of the crop, the plants can 

 be sprayed with ivory soap and water, mixed at the rate of 

 one bar of ivory soap TlO-cent size) to 15 gallons of warm 

 water. This should be applied when first made, and when 

 warm. Bees constitute the most active agent in the spread 

 of mildew. If a few leaves become infected in the house 

 when the bees are active, it does not take a great while for 

 them to infect the whole crop. Care should be taken in 

 such cases to destroy the first signs of mildew as it appears. 

 Timber Rot (^ScMerofinia Liberfiana Fckl.). — This dis- 

 ease is common to both cucumbers and tomatoes. It attacks 

 the stem, causing a shri\ died, dry and lifeless appearance 

 of that portion afiected. Black masses, or sclerotia, which 

 are about one thirty-second to three-sixteenths inch- in 

 diameter, appear on the surface of the afiected region. 

 These will germinate and infect other plants, if the condi- 

 tions are favoralile. The fungus which produces the timber 

 rot is confined to the soil, and is supposed to be the same as 

 that ^\hich causes the so-called " drop" in lettuce. It does 

 not, however, cause very much damage to cucumbers and 

 tomatoes, as a rule. Should it ever become serious, the 

 only remedy to apply \\'ill be to sterilize the soil. Under 



