128 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



of these crops can be taken from the land in addition to the cucumbers, 

 and not liurt the cucumber crop, if done carefullj^ as they are out of 

 the way in four to six weeks. The cucumbers will begin to fruit in 

 four to six weeks from setting the plants. It takes about four weeks 

 to raise the plants from seed. 



The string system of training the vines is quite popular at present 

 in the vicinity of Boston. The plants are set 14 to 16 inches apart, 

 in rows 4 feet apart. They are trained to a single stem on three-ply 

 jute string, stretched between two wires, one a small No. 18 wire, 

 attached to the walk boards, and the other a large wire. No. 14, stretched 

 across the house, and attached to screw-eyes in the sash bar. These 

 two wires are about G feet apart, and the heavy one, directly above 

 the row of cucumbers, is supported by the heating pipe, or by wires 

 attached to the posts of the house. The jute strings are stretched 

 between these wires. The training of the vine to a single stem is very 

 simple. The vine takes to the string without much attention, and 

 when it reaches the large horizontal wire it is trained one way over 

 five small wires stretched between the large ones. Laterals vnll come 

 out at every joint on the main stem, and each of these may be allowed 

 to set two pickles, and then pinched back. The amount of fruit that 

 sets on a single plant before the main stem reaches the top wire is 

 enormous. It is claimed for this sj^stem that there is a larger set of 

 early cucumbers than by any other system. All the wires once up 

 are up to stay, and the string is cheap and easily removed when clean- 

 ing out a house. 



The trellis system requires fewer plants, as the rows are set every 

 8 or 9 feet, and the plants 16 to 30 inches in the row. The plants are 

 trained to three stems and are tied in place on the trellis. The trellis 

 is made by setting 3-inch furring every 9 feet, at a slant of 45°, and 

 stretching on these five No. 18 wires, or a cucumber netting, on which 

 to train the vines. One row of furring is made to support another, 

 and the end pieces are secured to the sash bars or heating pipe. There 

 is much labor in getting the trellis into a house and in setting it up, 

 and about as much more in getting it out again. The advantages cf 

 the sj'stem are these, — more chance for light on the leaf s^^stcm, 

 fewer plants to raise, and it is much easier to see the cucumbers when 

 picking. If the rows of plants, under cither system, are run the short 

 way of the house, the heavy pickings of fruit can be more easily 

 gathered on the wagon. 



The cucumber requires an even temperature, not too wide a varia- 

 tion between day and night, expccially when loaded with fruit. Water- 

 ing must be carefully attended to, and enough yet not too much water 

 applied. The vines are sometimes spoiled by too heavy watering. 

 As soon as the ground in a house is cleared of small stuff it is loosened 

 up with forks, and then wet dowTi and mulched with coarse manure. 

 Care must be used not to put in manure which is giving off ammonia, 

 as it will injure the leaves. In every path across the house a board 



