MARCH.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 175 



the embryo-fruit issues forth with the flower-bud on its top, visible 

 from its first eruption from the stem of the plant ; but the male 

 blossom is placed immediately on the top of its foot-stalk without 

 any appearance of fruit under its base. 



The same operation of impregnating or setting the fruit, as above, 

 may also be practised on melons ; which will have the same effect 

 as in cucumbers ; but as melons are only eatable when ripe, it will 

 be five or six weeks longer, before they attain full size and ma- 

 ture ripeness. 



Sow Cucumber and Melon Seed. 



Sow in the above, or any new-made hot-beds, the seeds of cucum- 

 bers and melons, at the beginning, and also about the middle, and 

 towards the latter end of this month, to have a supply of young 

 plants in readiness, either to plant into new beds, or to supply 

 the place of such plants as may fail. 



The sorts of cucumbers are, the early short prickly, long green 

 prickly, white prickly, long green Turkey, long white Turkey, the 

 Smyrna, and the Roman. 



But the first two sorts are commonly cultivated for the early and 

 general crop, the short prickly being the earliest, and is therefore 

 often sown for the first crop in the frames ; but the long green 

 prickly is the best to sow for a main crop, either for the frames or 

 hand-glasses, or in the natural ground ; it being both a plentiful 

 bearer in long continuance, and the fruit attain the most handsome 

 regular growth, six or eight, to ten or twelve inches in length. 



Making netu Hot-beds to transplant Cucumbers^ &c t 



Make hot-beds the beginning of this month, to plant the cucum- 

 ber or melon plants upon, which were sown the latter end of January, 

 or any time in February ; make the beds very substantial, fully 

 three feet and a half or four feet high, having the dung previously 

 prepared, as directed in January, page 5, which will prevent a 

 violent heat taking place after its being made ; let the cucumber or 

 melon plants be planted therein, and managed as directed in that 

 month, and in February. 



There are many gardeners, and others, who cannot conveniently 

 procure dung to begin to make hot-beds for cucumbers or melons 

 at an early season. Where that is the case, it is not too late to 

 begin now ; and a hot-bed may be made the beginning or any time 

 of the month, and the seeds of cucumbers and melons sown 

 therein ; the cucumbers from this sowing will be fit to cut towards 

 the end of April, be in full bearing the beginning of May, and will 

 continue fruiting a long time. The melons will come to perfection, 

 m June and July. 



Cucumbers and Melons for Bell or Hand-glasses. 



About the eighteenth or twentieth, or any time towards the end 

 of this month, is the time to begin to sow the cucumbers and melons, 

 which are to be planted under hand or bell-glasses. 



