CH. 2.] CUCUMBERS. 2tj 



Having premifed this much, I proceed 

 to treat on the culture of the Cucumber 

 on a dung hot-bed, fuppofing the plants 

 being (or rather to be) fown the ift of 

 February. 



On, or about the 2Oth of January, let a 

 fufEcient quantity of the very beft mixed 

 ftable-dung be thrown together in a heap 

 to fweeten j let it lie for five or fix days, 

 and then turn it over, and fhake it well up 

 in a fecond heap : in this condition, it may 

 remain till the i ft of February, when it will 

 be ready for building into a bed ; which 

 I fhall fuppofe is for a one-light box of any 

 convenient fize. 



If the dung is littery, dry, and fiery > it 

 will be advifable to pour on a quantity of 

 water, in the procefs of fhaking up, or 

 turning it. This will excite its fermenta- 

 tion, and reduce it fooner into a proper 

 date ; on which depends much of the fu- 

 ture fuccefs. 



Proceed to build the bed ; obferving to 

 keep it a foot larger than the box all round, 

 and to the height of five feet in the back, 

 and four in the front ; obferving to beat it 

 well with the fork 5 and, if the dung is 



very 



