Feb.] The Kitchen Garden, 55 



ever way you take it off, be careful not to go fo clofe as 

 to wound the joint from whence it proceeds. 



Having thus pruned, or Hopped the plants at the £rll 

 joint, they will by that means very quickly get ftrength, as 

 will plainly appear in a few days ; and in about ten or 

 twelve days, after b;ing thus treated, will each begin to 

 fend forth two or three runners ; which runners will pro- 

 bably fhew fruit at t'hf'ir firft, fecond, or third joints ; for 

 if che main or lirll runner was not to be ftopped as above, 

 it would perhaps run half a yard, or two feet, in length, 

 without putting out more runners to fill the frame, or with- 

 out iliewing a fmgle fruit ; fo that it is upon thefe lateral 

 ihoots or runners, produced after flopping the plants, that 

 the fruit is moft likely firft to appear in any tolerable time 

 in the fealon : but let it be alfb obferved, that when the 

 faid lateral ihoots have three joints, and that if any of them 

 do not then ihcw fruit at either of the joints, it will be 

 proper to pinch off the tops of fuch fhoots at the third joint ; 

 which will promote their putting forth a fupply of two or 

 three new flioots ; fomc or all of which will moil: likely 

 b„' fruitful; and after this, let the plants take their own 

 courfe of growth ; and if the bed is well managed, and if 

 the plants are forward, they will probably produce fruit 

 the end of this month, or beginning of next ; but for the 

 further management of the bed and plants, fee next 

 month. 



Of fo^ving Cucumber and Melon Seed. 



As there may be many perfons who did not begin lall 

 month to fow cucumbers for an early crop, it will here be 

 proper to take notice, that the beginning of this month is 

 lUll a good time to begin that work, making a feed hot- 

 bed for fowing the feed, as dire^led in January. 



Thofe which are fown at this time will, with good ma- 

 nagement, produce fruit in the end of March, or beginning 

 of April ; and thofe fown in the middle or latter end of the 

 month, v/ill have fruit the end of April, and will bear plen- 

 tifully in May. 



The beginning of this month is a very good time to be- 

 gin to fow melons for a good crop in the frames. 



The feed hot-bed which is to be made now, either for 

 cucumbers or melons, mull be of the fame dimenfions, and 

 the feed fown, and the plants managed, as dirededlafl month. 



D 4 But 



