fS ON THE (SULTURE 



There Is noi necelTity for having heat direclly under- 

 neath the roots of the plants ; for if the air in the 

 frames be kept up to a proper degree of heat, that is 

 fufficient. In climates where the cucumber natu- 

 rally grows, I apprehend there is no heat in the 

 earth but what is raifed in it by the heat of the fun 

 and the circumambient air, wdiich feems to be warm- 

 ed by the reflection of the fun upon the earth. 



It is not only necelTary that in the frames the air 

 be kept up to a fufficient degree of heat, but it is ab- 

 folutely neceflary that nothing pernicious or unwhole- 

 fome be conveyed into, or caufed to arife in the 

 frames among the plants by means of that heat. If 

 the fleam of the linings get in, it will hurt the 

 plants ; and if there be any thing which fmells difa- 

 greeably in the mould or underneath the mould in the 

 frames, the heat of the linings will caufe unhealthy 

 vapours to afcend from it, which in time will prove 

 injurious to the plants. So that although there may 

 be a degree of heat in the frames ftrong enough for 

 the growth of the plants, yet, through means of that 

 heat, fomething may arife in the frames which will 

 become progreflively, if not almofl inflantaneoufly, de- 

 flrudive of the plants, efpecially when they are young 

 and tender. Care, therefore, muft be taken that no- 

 thing be introduced into the frames among the plants 

 but what is of a fweet v^'holefome nature. 



If it were poffible to keep the heat in the frames 

 always to So degrees, with the concurrence of proper 

 air and moiflure, I am of opinion that that would be 

 a fufficient heat for the production of the cucumber. 



In 



