124 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [FEB. 



method of making the seed hot-bed, sowing the seed, and the general 

 management of the bed and plants, as directed under the head Cucum- 

 bers, &c., in the kitchen garden for January. 



RIDGING OUT EARLY CUCUMBERS AND MELONS. 



If the cucumber and melon plants which were raised last month, 

 or the beginning of this, have not suffered by any of the accidents 

 that are attendant on them at this season, the former are now, and 

 the latter will, in the course of this month, be arrived to a proper 

 growth for ridging out into a larger hot-bed, finally to remain. 



A new bed or beds, for one or more large frames, should there- 

 fore be prepared in due time for the reception of these plants, and 

 made in the same manner as directed in January, pages 2 1 and 22 ; 

 observing that such must be three feet and a half, or four feet high 

 when finished ; for a less depth of dung will not produce the neces- 

 sary heat which these plants require at this inclement season ; and, 

 besides, if the beds were made of a more shallow depth their heat 

 wfculd be soon spent, and lining could not be applied to them with so 

 much advantage : for the latter reason particularly, they must be 

 made wholly above ground. 



The bed being finished, put on the frame or frame and lights, 

 which will defend it from wet, and bring up the heat the sooner, 

 tilting the upper ends of the lights a little that the steam may pass 

 off. In a week after the bed is made, if it has settled unequally, 

 take off the frame and make the bed level, then immediately put it 

 on again for good. 



After this let the state of the bed be daily examined with good 

 attention ; and when you find the violent heat is over, lay in the 

 earth, but be sure to let that first pass away. 



The earth for this purpose should be rich and tolerably dry ; for 

 that is a material article to be regarded at this season. The earth 

 proper for cucumbers may be either any prepared compost of rich 

 loam and rotten dung, or of the temperature of light rich kitchen- 

 garden soil ; but to prepare for this you ought, about the latter end 

 of September, or in October (if the most convenient), to take from 

 some quarter of the kitchen-garden, which is naturally light and dry, 

 and well enriched by manure, a sufficient quantity of earth, and throw 

 it up in a heap ridge-ways, in some dry place, open to the sun and 

 air ; mixing therewith at the same time some good rotten dung, break- 

 ing and blending the whole well together ; a due quantity of this com- 

 post-heap should be carried into some shed or other sheltered place, 

 open in front to the sun or free air, a month or a fortnight at least 

 before you want it, that it may be preserved perfectly dry for earth- 

 ing the bed. 



Then, when the bed is in order, lay about half a bushel or rather 

 more of earth under the middle of each light, rising each parcel of 

 earth in a round hillock about ten inches high ; let the spaces be- 

 tween the hills and quite to the sides of the frame be covered with 

 the same sort of earth, only two or three inches thick at this time, 

 while the bed is in strong heat for fear of burning, as explained 



