CUCUMBERS. 167 



CUCUMBERS. 



This has become one of the leading vegetables for 

 the Lower South. It stands shipping to distant mar- 

 kets remarkably well. In that portion of this district 

 where killing frosts occur, the seedlings should be 

 started in a cold frame or in a hot-bed. This seems 

 like very remarkable advice to those who have tried 

 to transplant them, but it is easy enough when you 

 know how. For every acre to be planted, procure 

 twelve hundred two inch paper flower pots ; the same 

 number of four-inch, and if very early " cukes" are 

 wanted, the same number of six inch. Use only the 

 best seed, and plant four in each pot. These pots 

 should be filled to within a half inch of the top, with 

 good potting soil; this should be done six weeks 

 earlier than the last frost usually occurs, if it is in- 

 tended to use only the two smaller sized pots ; but 

 about nine weeks, if the three sizes are to be used. 

 The cost of the pots in the former case will be less 

 than nine dollars ; in the latter, about twenty-five 

 dollars. There is no doubt but that one could obtain 

 a liberal discount on these pots, if a large quantity 

 were bought at one time. If these pots are not sunk 

 into the sand, they will stand for two crops. During 

 their growth, the plants should be examined frequently 

 to see that they do not become pot- bound. They 

 should be shifted to a large pot as soon as the soil is 

 permeated by the roots. This may be tested by re- 

 moving the soil from one of the pots, which may be 

 done easily as follows : Hold a pot upside down, press 

 on the bottom this will loosen the soil ; the condition 

 of the roots can now be examined without difficulty. 

 As soon as the roots have taken up most of the space 

 in the pot, shift the plant to a larger one. 



