CH. 2.] CUCUMBERS. 2J 



of brick, ftone, turf, &c. and fitting the 

 frame thereto : but care ought to be taken, 

 that the roots of the plants, at no ftage of 

 their growth, touch the bark, which never 

 fails to canker them. 



It is a pradice with many to fink their 

 hot-beds, or at leaft partly ; and this is ge- 

 nerally done with too little difcrimination. 

 I am far from difapproving the pradlice, 

 provided it can be done with propriety, as, 

 by doing fo, a degree of neatnefs is given 

 to that department of the garden : but this 

 ought to be a fecondary consideration ; for, 

 if the fituation is naturally damp, and if 

 care is not taken to render it perfectly dry, 

 difappointments will doubtlefs attend the 

 labours of the gardener. 



It is cuftomary to prepare feed-beds for 

 Cucumbers about the middle of ^December, 

 or firft of January. The latter time I pre- 

 fer, but moft of all, the firft of February ; 

 as I have often myfelf been, and frequently 

 have feen others, put to more trouble and 

 perplexity with a feed-bed at that early 

 feafon, than with the reft of the framing 

 for the whole feafon afterwards, and all to 



no 



