figure 9, in which case the clotted Hues represent the plant as it 

 will appear as a result of cutting the leader at c. The cutting is best 

 accomplished with a sharp knife, when the bud of the leader is 

 ver)^ small. This causes a shoot to develop in the axil of the 

 cotyledons and another in the axil at c. In this case we have a plant 

 in which the two laterals form the two leaders. The subsequent 

 process of pruning is similar to that described under the single shoot 

 system. 



There is a difference of opinion as to the relative merits of the 

 single and double shoot system, some cucumber growers preferring 

 the one shoot and others the two shoot system. With regard to this, 

 however, it may be said that cucumbers do not stand over-crowding ; 

 and when they are planted in the greenhouse two feet or thirty inches 

 apart, we believe the single shoot system is preferable. In some of 

 the largest crops of cucumbers which we have observed the plants 

 have had ample room for development. In one instance where a 

 third row of vines was planted in a good sized house, the crop v»as 

 only one-third of that where two rows were planted. 



A number of experiments have been made on pruning cucumbers. 

 Some of the more important results will be given here. In these 

 experiments a careful record was kept of the position and number of 

 flowers, together with the amount of fruit obtained from a crop of 

 White Spine. 



In one experiment that was made on all the plants constituting a 

 crop, in which case a single leader and several of the laterals were 

 allowed to grow without pruning, the following points were noticed : 

 _ The average yield of fruit on the main shoot was i8 per cent 

 higher than upon the laterals. The lowest laterals, or those nearest 

 the base of the plant, came next in the production of fruit, and the 

 others or higher laterals followed in uniform succession in fruit pro- 

 duction. The fruit matured earlier upon the main shoot than upon 

 the laterals, the lowest lateral more nearly approaching the main 

 shoot in this respect, and the other laterals following in uniform succes- 

 sion. The main shoot showed a gain of 36 per cent in the length 

 of time required to mature its fruit over the first lateral. Of 

 the fruit formed on the laterals, 61 per cent occurred in first 

 axils. The number of internodes between the successive formation 

 of fruit on the plant was in the largest number of cases seven. 



