CUCUMBER 



265 



before mentioned, planting the beds 

 alternately as each set of plants 

 becomes exhausted. A span-roofed 

 house, from 15 to 20 ft. long and 

 10 or 12 ft. wide, will, if properly 

 managed, afford a sufficient supply 

 for most private establishments, un- 

 less they are very extensive. Houses 

 with comparatively low-pitched roofs 

 generally yield the best results, with 

 least trouble from scorching or red 

 spider. They should be built high 

 enough to allow of head-room, but 

 not higher than is really necessary, 

 as low, close houses are most suit- 

 able. Heat produced by hot-water 

 pipes is decidedly the best for giving 

 warmth, as it is of a more humid 

 nature than that produced by flues. 

 There should always be sufficient 

 piping to keep up the required 

 temperature without being obliged 

 to make the pipes intensely hot 

 the latter being productive of many 

 evil results, such as scalding, red 

 spider, etc. Evaporating pans, 

 placed over the pipes, are of great 

 assistance in keeping the atmo- 

 sphere of the house in a moist 

 state. Cucumbers may be success- 

 fully grown in low lean-to houses, 

 with no other glass than that of the 

 roof the heat being supplied by 

 means of a brick flue running round 

 the house, and a stage consisting of 

 rough wooden slabs or planks, sup- 

 ported upon brick piers or wooden 

 posts, erected over the flue along 

 the front of the house. The stage 

 should be 3 1 ft. from the glass, which 

 will allow for 18 in. of soil, and 

 12 in. for the plants to grow before 

 reaching the trellis, supposing the 

 trellis to be 12 in. from the glass. 

 If the front of the stage be boarded 

 up, a good bottom-heat may be 

 secured. 



Bottom heat is considered by 

 many to be indispensable in Cucum- 

 ber-growing; this, however, has 



been proved to be a mistake, and 

 we have often seen the best Cucum- 

 bers grown without it. That plants 

 are benefited to a great extent by 

 the use of bottom heat judiciously 

 applied, we do not for a moment 

 dispute ; but still it is not absolutely 

 necessary, except in the case of early 

 Cucumbers grown in pits and frames. 

 Where, however, it is applied, it 

 must be done with judgment, for 

 there are often crops of Cucumbers 

 ruined by an excessive bottom heat. 

 Stable manure is frequently used to 

 supply bottom heat to Cucumbers ; 

 and where it can be properly regu- 

 lated it is the best. As the heat 

 gradually declines, the roots descend 

 into the decaying manure and draw 

 therefrom a vast amount of nourish- 

 ment to support the heavy crops of 

 fruit they carry. A considerable 

 amount of labour in root-watering 

 is also saved. In private gardens 

 hot water is much cleaner and per- 

 haps gives less trouble, and where 

 the pipes are laid in a tank, and the 

 tank at intervals supplied with 

 liquid manure, good results can be 

 obtained. 



WINTER AND SPRING CUCUMBERS. 

 For this crop many cultivators 

 obtain plants by means of cuttings, 

 with the view of getting fruit quicker 

 than from those raised from seed. 

 There can be no doubt that if cut- 

 tings be put in at the same time as 

 seeds, the cuttings will make plants 

 capable of bearing fruit earlier ; but 

 they will not continue in a bearing 

 condition so long, nor produce such 

 good fruit, as healthy seedling plants. 

 Where any particular kind is grown, 

 and it is desirable to keep it true, 

 propagation by cuttings is the only 

 sure way of attaining that object ; 

 but as a rule seedling plants are the 

 best. Where, however, cuttings are 

 preferred, they should be put in 

 about ten or twelve days before they 



