176 THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. [MARCH. 



They may be sown in any of the cucumber hot-beds now at 

 work; or if not convenient, or there are no such beds made, make a 

 hot-bed for that purpose, for a one, two or three light frame, 

 according to the quantity of plants required ; sow the seed, and 

 manage the beds as directed in the two former months. The 

 plants will be ready for ridging out, by the middle, or towards the 

 end of next month ; the cucumbers will be in bearing the latter end 

 of May, and the melons in July. 



Cauliflowers. 



Where cauliflower plants were raised from seeds sown last 

 month, they should as soon in this, as they have arrived to the height 

 of three or four inches, be pricked into a new slight hot-bed made 

 for that purpose, at the distance of three inches every way, and ma- 

 naged as directed in February, page 119. 



By pricking out the plants on a little bottom heat, it will forward 

 them considerably, and by thus transplanting, they will become 

 strong and well furnished with roots, and consequently will succeed 

 much better when planted out, than if suffered to remain in the seed 

 bed. 



The autumn sown plants, and those which you had transplanted 

 last month, from the January sowing, must now have plenty of air, 

 and this in proportion as the season advances, and the weather 

 grows warm ; in order to harden them for bearing the open air, when 

 planted out where intended for flowering ; which cannot be done 

 with safety, in the middle states, before the last week in this month, 

 or rather the first in April ; nor in the eastern states, before the se- 

 cond week or middle of that month, unless you have hand-glasses to 

 cover them, in which case they may be planted out any time that the 

 ground is in good condition, after the middle of March. 



The latter method I would recommend, provided the plants are 

 large, the spring early, and that you have the convenience of hand- 

 glasses, but not otherwise. 



Though at this early period, the ground best adapted for produc- 

 ing ^ood cauliflowers, is not always in a proper state fo cultivation, 

 which ought to be a principal consideration, either in the planting or 

 sowing of any crops whatever; and never departed from, should the 

 season prove ever so late. 



Cauliflower seed may be sown, the beginning of this month, as 

 directed in January, page 12, which, if well attended to and judi- 

 ciously managed, and that the great summer heats should not set in 

 at an e?a % ly period, will head tolerably well ; but, if these circum- 

 stances do not follow, a great number of them will not flower 

 beft ;re late in autumn, and some not even then ; such of these as do 

 not. flower before the setting in of the winter frosts, are to be treated 

 as directed in the Kitchen-garden for November, by which treatment, 

 tlvey will produce tolerable good heads, and at a very acceptable 

 period. 



You must be very particular during this month, especially when 

 Oie weather gets warm, to give your cauliflower plants plenty of air, 



