104? THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



covering will be of much service in preventing an 

 early mildew, as well as the fruit from spotting. If 

 there are frames to spare, putting them on early will 

 answer the purpose best. 



It now only remains for the author to say a few 

 words on the final culture of this luxurious vege- 

 table : it may be called so in whatever state it is 

 eaten ; but to consider it in any way nutritious is 

 out of the question. 



What the author alludes to is the raising of cucum- 

 bers for picklers, or as our ancient cooks used to 

 call them, " gerkins." For this purpose a light rich 

 spot of ground should be chosen, previously well 

 worked up a full spade in depth, in which a shallow 

 drill (if more than one, they must be four feet 

 apart) should be drawn, and the seed thinly scat- 

 tered in at an inch or two apart (to be thinned 

 hereafter), about the 10th or 12th of May, and 

 lightly covered with earth : should as many come 

 up as were sown, a thinning will be requisite to 

 eight or ten inches apart. Their after-culture will 

 principally consist of keeping the ground clear of 

 weeds by light hoeing, as the roots run very near 

 to the surface ; and by training the shoots, when 

 five or six inches high, to the right and left. To 

 keep them in that position, a little light earth taken 

 from the alleys may be laid over their stems, which 

 will be the means also of strengthening the plants 

 hereafter. 



In many of the market grounds round London, 

 where acres of early cabbages are planted, and in 

 full cut by the middle of May, patches are cleared ; 

 the ground dug up and a little hollowed out, in 



