Notes and Gleanings. 373 



Forcing Cucumbers. — We are often inquired of concerning the growing 

 of cucumbers under glass. Years ago, it was of little use to attempt it, except 

 on a small scale, merely to supply one's own family ; for there was no sale for 

 them : but now it is quite different, as there is a demand for them all through 

 the winter. It requires great care to raise nice ones, such as will suit the mar- 

 ket ; and it is only by years of experience that one can become expert in tjie 

 business. A border or bed should be prepared, say eighteen inches deep by 

 three feet in width, in which to plant the seeds ; and under it should run a ten- 

 inch pipe, heated either by hot air or steam, so that the temperature may be kept 

 up from eighty-five to ninety degrees by day, and as high as fifty degrees at night. 

 This border should be made up of about one-half of common garden-soil, the 

 other half of old well-rotted cow-manure, with some bone-dust or fish-guano. 

 From the time the plants make their appearance, they will need watering occa- 

 sionally, — once a week or oftener, according to the weather; and, at such times, 

 manure-water may be used to advantage. Hen-manure or ground fish are excel- 

 lent substances for such a purpose ; but care must be used lest the solution be 

 too strong. As the plants grow, train them to the rafters of the house. The 

 cucumber has two persistent enemies with which the grower must contend, — the 

 red spider, and black and green aphis. The treatment for the former is to syr- 

 inge with water, and do it often ; the oftener, the worse for the insects. The 

 latter insect may be killed by fumigation ; and after that process, say the next 

 morning, thoroughly syringe the plants. These operations should be repeated 

 as often as necessary to keep the vines free from vermin. In order to have the 

 fruit set vvell, it is necessary to have the pollen supplied artificially to the female 

 flowers ; and this may be done either with a camel's-hair brush, or, what is better, 

 by picking off the male flowers, and scattering the pollen over the female. The 

 more rapidly the fruit is grown, the better it is. They grow to great size if well 

 treated ; though this is not desirable, as cucumbers of medium size sell the best. 

 Among the best varieties are Conqueror of the West, Prize-fighter, and Carter. 

 When this crop does well, it is quite profitable. 



Raising New Pears. — Nothing is easier than to plant the seed of the best 

 varieties of pears, and get new sorts, many of which will be equal if not superior 

 to the parent. If seed be selected from fruit raised in an orchard, when natural 

 hybridization takes place, new varieties possessing the good qualities of two or 

 more kinds will be likely to be produced : sometim2s they seem to be an almost 

 reproduction of some favorite sort. We have just seen a pear, said to be from 

 the seckel, which is like the parent in every respect, except in form, which va- 

 ries slightly. We believe no one could recognize the difference in flavor. It is 

 well known that grapes have been sent out as new varieties that proved to be 

 so nearly like the parent, that no one could tell the difference. In other cases, 

 as with the Clapp's Favorite Pear, the influence of both parents maybe distinctly 

 seen. The old theory of Van Mons has been practised for many years, and few 

 good results have followed ; while some who have sown but comparatively few 

 seeds, like Mr. Francis Dana of Roxbury, have raised many varieties, some of 

 which will take the first rank among the best American pears. There is no 



