removed ; but if it should continue cold, raise the box by setting a block under each corner, and 

 let the plants run under. The Fourth of July is the time we always remove the boxes or frames. 

 . ^^^ - Always pick the fruit as soon as large enough, as allowing 



any to remain to ripen injures the fruiting of the vine. One 

 pound of seed is sufficient for an acre. There are not very 

 many varieties of hardy Cucumbers. Fig. 1 is Improved 

 Long Green, the largest of American sorts, and one of the 

 best; fig. 2, Early Frame, a good variety for table, and for 

 pickling when small ; fig. 3, Early White Spine, an excel- 

 lent sort for table, a great favorite, and forces well ; fig. 4, 

 Early Russian, small, very productive, and the earliest of 

 all ; fig. 5, Early Green Cluster, next in earliness to the 

 Russian, generally grows in pairs, quite productive and 

 esteemed for pickles. There are very many foreign varie- 

 ties of very great size and beauty, and of excellent quality, 

 and their general appearance is shown in the annexed 

 engraving. They range in length from eighteen inches to 

 more than two feet, and, when well grown, as straight as an arrow. They are called frame vari- 

 eties, because much cultivated in frames or under glass. Some of the hardiest do well in Amer- 

 ica, if coaxed a little early in the season under boxes covered with glass, as recommended for 



our hardy sorts. The Long Green Southgate and the Stockwood we have found the best for the 

 garden in this latitude, but in the South we have no doubt all would succeed admirably. Some 

 persons think because these foreign sorts are large, that they are coarse and scarcely eatable. 

 This is a mistake. They are fine-grained and very solid, having very few seeds, sometimes not 

 more than half-a-dozen perfect seeds in a fruit. Seed, therefore, is always scarce and dear. 



EGG PLANT. 



A tender plant, requiring starting in the hot-bed pretty early to mature its fruit in the North- 

 ern States. The seed may be sown with tomato seed ; but more care is necessary at transplant- 

 ing, to prevent the plants being chilled by the 

 change, as they seldom fully recover. 'Hand- 

 glasses are useful 

 for covering at the 

 time of transplant- 

 ing. Those who 

 have no hot-bed 

 can sow a few seeds 

 in boxes in the 

 house. There are 

 various modes of 

 cooking, but the 

 most common is to 

 cut in slices, boil in 

 salt and water, and 

 then fry in batter or 



butter. There are several varieties, but the largest and best of all is the Improved New York 

 Purple, an engraving of which we give. The Early Long Purple is the earliest, and valuable on 

 that account, and about eight or nine inches in length. There is an early round variety 

 called Round Purple, and there are several very pretty sorts more ornamental than useful. 



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