262 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



waterings will be required as they come into free 

 bearing and the sun gets more powerful, rendering 

 much more air necessary ; and occasional watering 

 with dung -water will be beneficial. Keep them 

 always regularly stopped and thinned of all super- 

 fluous growths and leaves, but being careful never to 

 remove the leaf from a joint where there is a fruit 

 swelling off. Never allow the growths to run beyond 

 one or two joints without stopping them. This treat- 

 ment carefully carried out will keep them always in 

 a vigorous and fruitful condition, and producing fine 

 straight cucumbers beautifully covered with bloom, 

 and the flower fresh at the end of each when ready 

 to cut. As the season advances, and they have been 

 in bearing for some time, remove by degrees the older 

 growths and foliage, and train younger ones into their 

 places. This should be diligently seen to the whole 

 season, in order to keep the pit full of young bearing 

 growths and healthy leaves, without which a regular 

 supply of cucumbers cannot be maintained. Under 

 such treatment I have invariably had these early 

 plants as healthy and fruitful in the end of September 

 as in May, and have seldom ever been troubled with 

 insects or disease. 



After the first week of June fresh linings are un- 

 necessary in the southern half of England, but in more 

 northern districts it is necessary to attend to them a 

 little later. In the hottest weather, especially when 

 such has been preceded by a continuation of dull days, 

 a slight shade in the middle of the day is sometimes 

 beneficial. When it is desired to have these plants 

 healthy and bearing after September, it is necessary to 

 apply fresh linings, or mildew will soon destroy them. 



The foregoing directions, I trust, will be sufficient 



