CHAPTER X. 



CUCUMBER. 



THE cucumber contests with the tomato the merit of 

 being the most popular of the "warm" plants for forc- 

 ing. In America the extensive forcing of cucumbers for 

 market is of recent origin. In England, on the other 

 hand, the species has long been forced, and as a conse- 

 quence there has developed in that country a peculiar 

 type of fruit, which is even yet not popularly known 

 in the United States. The Americans desire the short 

 cucumbers with which they are familiar in the open 

 garden. So it happens that there are two branches or 

 types of the species to which we need to address our 

 attention. 



THE ENGLISH FORCING TYPE OF CUCUMBER. 



The English forcing varieties represent the most im- 

 proved type of the cucumber, and many of them are so 

 distinct in appearance from our common kinds that vis- 

 itors to our houses often fail to recognize them as cu- 

 cumbers. They deserve to become better known in this 

 country. It is undoubtedly true that the market demand 

 is more or less confined to particular cities, but it is in- 

 creasing for these, as for all the better winter products 

 of forcing-houses. The smaller and cheaper varieties 

 are better adapted to the general market, but the care- 

 ful grower, who has access to the larger markets, by 

 rail or otherwise, should be able to control a select and 

 very profitable trade in the English sorts, particularly 

 (184) 



