18 



under hot-bed sasli, the sash and planks upon Avhich they 

 rest are usually removed about the first week in Jul}-, and 

 the vines allowed to run. When irroAvu in houses, the 

 cucumber flowers are fertilized by bees, a hive of which is 

 kept in or near the house for that purpose. The vines are 

 affected, sometimes enough to destroy the crop, by plant 

 lice, thrips, red spiders, black flies, timber rot, stump foot 

 and foul soil. The best remedy for plant lice and thrips 

 seems to l)e fumes from burning tobacco stems, and the odor 

 arising from stems and dust strewn around on the cfround. 

 Too much tobacco smoke will cause the leaves to curl up. 

 It is said that lice on cucumbers may also be destroyed by 

 spraying with tobacco water. The red spiders may be 

 destroyed by spra^-ing with water, or by the use of steam. 

 Consideral)le damage is done by timber rot, which frequently 

 appears, especially in old houses, and may result from the 

 decay of the flowers which have fallen upon the vines. It 

 seems to be most common in cold, damp weather, in old 

 houses. However, the nature of the trouble does not appear 

 to be very well understood. In South Sudbury and Fitch- 

 burg some complaint was made of stump foot on cucumber 

 and tomato vines. 



On account of cold, cloudy, wet weather, the past year 

 has been unusually bad for both lettuce and cucumbers. 



In the vicinity of Boston, beets, radishes, dandelions, toma- 

 toes and parsle}' are quite extensively grown as catch crops. 

 It may be said that the culture of these several crops under 

 glass is a paying business Avhen good crops are obtained ; 

 but, as in other branches of agriculture, there are many fail- 

 ures and discouragements, and success is not easily attained. 



Arlington. — There are twenty-three regular greenhouses 

 and four sash-houses in this town, owned by twelve parties. 

 Eighteen of these houses are heated by steam and nine by 

 hot water. Of the aiowers, six use steam and five use hot 

 water, and one has both. The greenhouses cover about 

 92,000 square feet, or over two acres, and the sash-houses 

 al)out 8,000 square feet, or a total of 100,000 square feet. 

 In most cases two crops of lettuce are grown, occupying the 

 houses from September till March. Then follows a crop ot 

 cucumbers, lastins: until about the first of Ausfust. In some 



