46 THE SEED-GROWER. 



Any soil considered good for corn will answer for 

 cucumber. In the Middle and Western States, seed is 

 sown about June 1st. It is planted in hills three feet 

 apart each way, ten to fifteen seeds to a hill, thinning 

 to three or four plants in a hill when they are about six 

 inches in height. Cultivate continuously and keep free 

 from weeds. The hoe may be used for this purpose 

 after the vines run out. 



To Save Seeds for Private Use or Stock-Seed. 

 Select the earliest and handsomest fruit possessing dis- 

 tinctness of variety. 



Harvest and Cleaning. Harvest is dependent upon 

 maturity of the crop and time of frost. The usual 

 period in northern sections is from September 15th to 

 October 1st. In case a severe frost occurs, the crop 

 must be gathered at once, otherwise fruit may rot from 

 effect of the frost. Seed is considered fully ripe when 

 fruit has changed color entirely, showing not even a 

 tinge of green; when gathering, reject fruit which is not 

 characteristic of the variety. 



Taking out seed: in simple practice, the cucumbers 

 may be sliced lengthwise and seeds scraped out into a 

 bucket or a tub, and then poured into a tight barrel, to 

 undergo fermentation, which is to release the mucil- 

 laginous covering from the seeds. 



When the field is two or three acres in extent, slicing 

 may be done by using an upright knife set in the bot- 

 tom of a small wooden trough held in place by a cross- 

 piece. This trough may be mounted on a bench. The 

 cucumbers are laid in it one at a time, and sliced open 

 by being forced against the knife by a wooden plunger 

 fitted to the inside of the trough. The split fruit is 

 allowed to fall into a tub or a box. Seed is then removed 

 by using a small circular iron knife sharpened on one 



