406 CUCUMBER 



answer. Or for the earliest crop, a situation witli a more 

 pronouncedly sandy soil may serve best. In most parts 

 of America the field crop of Cucumbers may be grown 

 from seed planted in the open ground after danger ot 

 frost is past. Put 6 to 12 seed', in the hill ( havmg enough 

 to provide against the ravages of insects ) the hills being 

 4 by 6 feet apart. The early crop may often be planted 



585 Three prominent vaneties of EngUsh or 



Forcing Cucumber 



S Sion House E Duke ot Edmburgh T Telegr iph 



in the same way, and protected t r fm 1 \ i ish 



■covered frame placed over each bill II i me 



times started in greenhouses or h 1 1 t i in 



the open ground ; but this method i niless 



great pains be taki 11 The nieth ' II lilir 



sods in 1 1 1 till 



with v. Ill J . 1 



Early.-iilir :,:i..h ^ i i i i i i i t i I n 1 , 



companied by very i m ml i ( nihitnt i ptnn n ig iinst 

 insects, for the tirst month is the most i ritit il in the 

 life of the Cucumber plant When the vines begin to 

 cover the ground, cultivation may be discontinued 



Cucumbers are often forced m waniihr u p iFis; M) 

 in winter and spring Tht lu„( >ii_li li t hiii_\iir 

 ties, as Telegraph and Sk II H u . di. si ii p turtd 

 by some growers, but thi ^^tllI ^[ iii \ m ri n ni irt 

 popular in America es) <iil'\ 1 i iiiii_ t i iiu ifter 



CUCUMBER 



stand pretty much In inverse ratio to their size. Vines 

 on which fruits are allowed to ripen cease bearing 

 almost iiumediately. The young fruits may be success- 

 fully preserved in brine, from which they are soaked out 

 with fresh water as wanted, and put into vinegar, which 

 they readily absorb. 



There are a great many varieties of Cucumbers in cul- 

 tivation. This means that the group is variable, the va- 

 rieties comparatively unstable, and varietal distinctions 

 somewhat uncertain. Nevertheless, there are certain 

 dominant types which may be separated, and around 

 which most of the varieties may be conveniently classi- 

 fied. The principal types are the following : 

 Common Cucumber. Cucumis sativus. 

 I. EngUsh forcing tye (var. Anglica): Fig. 585. Large- 

 leaved, strong-growing, slow-m.ituriiig plants, not suited 

 to outdoor culture : fr. large, long, smooth, usually 

 green, with few or early-deeiduous black spines. Tele- 

 graph, Sion 'Honse. Noa's Forcing, Tailbys Hybrid, 

 Kenyon, Lome, Edinburgh. Blue Govra, etc. 

 U. Field varieties (Hill or Ridge Cucumbers). 

 a. Black Spine varieties. 



1. Netted T{ir---i,-iTi t?T" S'mnll, slmrt jointed vines, 



beariiii; i .,,,,,',, i., , >,ii„ll, eUipsoi- 



dal tV. Mark, decidu- 



-. 'link reddish 



yellow,. 

 bearing 



Early Clu- 



Eiirly 



long ana ir'-e-growmg; tr. large ana long, green, 

 ripening yellow, -nith scattered, large, black 

 spines. Long Green, Japanese Climbing. 

 b. White Spine varitt its. 



5. White S].!' . ■• ■ ■ • .. -;,, .1 ^..,|„,, ■',,,,, r^,,.-•: 



whitV .. ... ^i'.'i'i'.'.'." 



TIn-n-... W :■., -i.mc. 



.. • 1 ii'-umber, Cluyifmi^ Melo, var. flexuosvs. 

 I.:; those of nmsknielon : fr. very long, 

 ■ ' .1 ''vlindrical, green, tardily yello^ring, covered 

 . .wuLLv hairs. 



Staminate flower of Cucumis Melo. 



