CH. 2.] CUCUMBERS. 43 



rofe of a watering pan ; taking the advan- 

 tage of warm fliowers as the feafon advan- 

 ces. Few plants require more of this ele- 

 ment than the Cucumber ; and if it is with- 

 held, the plants will, to the nice obferver, 

 quickly complain. 



The moft proper time for the applica- 

 tion of water, is either in the morning 

 about eight, or in the evening about four 

 o'clock, an hour fooner or latter, according 

 to the feafon of the year. The water, if 

 poffible, fhould always be of equal tem- 

 perature with the air in which the plants 

 grow ; in which cafe, no check is felt, or 

 unneceflary effort made by the tender fi- 

 brils, the purveyors of the plant. Nor 

 fhould an extraordinary quantity be appli- 

 ed at a time, for the fame reafons. 



Keep them moderately thin of vines and 

 leaves ; taking care to lay them all out in 

 regular order, and not to have them crof- 

 fing one another. Be alfo careful to diveft 

 them of all withered and damped leaves, 

 as they appear. It is as obnoxious for a 

 plant as an. animal, to breathe the air where- 

 in its own corruption is confined. Neither 

 ihouid the Cucumber be pruned much at a 



time, 



