252 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



till June is a matter that requires great attention and 

 care. When a supply is required the whole year 

 round, the comparative ease and certainty with which 

 it can be accomplished depends of course to a great 

 extent on the appliances at command for such a pur- 

 pose. "When dependent for heat on the cumbrous and 

 untidy dung-bed or linings, it is a somewhat precarious 

 and trying task. On the other hand, with a well-con- 

 structed cucumber-house, efficiently heated with hot 

 water, a constant supply can with certainty be main- 

 tained, and with much less labour than with dung- 

 linings alone. Considering, however, that very many 

 growers have yet nothing more advanced than a brick 

 pit, heated by means of fermenting stable-litter, and, 

 where they can be had, leaves, to supply cucumbers, 

 my intention is to give practical directions for a supply 

 of cucumbers, say from March till November, by such 

 means, as well as to make some remarks on their mid- 

 winter growth in cucumber -houses heated by hot- 

 water pipes. I may, however, remark, that it is not 

 desired to communicate any information that might 

 be the cause of inducing any to provide at this period 

 of gardening practice and appliances nothing better 

 than dung-heated pits for the growth of cucumbers 

 from October till the end of June ; for although I and 

 many more have bridged this period of the year with 

 cucumbers by means of fermenting materials alone, it 

 cannot now be regarded in any other light than one 

 of the best illustrations of being "penny wise and 

 pound foolish." 



THE SEED-BED. 



It is, then, supposed that cucumbers are desired in 

 early spring, say March. As the first step in the pro- 



