OF THE CUCUMBER. yx 



have frequently known to have been the cafe, even 

 when at the fame time the plants were in a vigorous 

 flourifhing (late, 



I generally leave the prepared part of the male 

 bloffom (ticking in the centre of the female one, and 

 take a frefh male bloffom to every female bloffom. 

 But if male bloffoms run fcarce, which feldom or 

 never happens, I make one male bloffom do for two 

 or three female ones. 



When the frames are going to be fet upon the bed, 

 a layer of mortar is fpread all round upon the upper 

 courfe of brick-work on which the bottoms of the 

 frames are to reft. Thus the frames are fet in mor- 

 tar on the bricks ; and the flues are with a brick- 

 layer's brufh well wafhed, and rubbed with a thick 

 grout made of lime and water, which ftops every 

 crack or hole, and prevents the fteam of the 

 linings from getting into the frames. This wafhing 

 of the flues I have done at leaft once a year, and 

 oftener, if need be, for no crack or hole is ever fuf- 

 fered to remain unflopped in the flues. 



I find little or no trouble in keeping the flues per- 

 fedlly clofe, nor is it indeed likely that they fhould be- 

 come troublefome if the bed ftands on a found founda- 

 tion, for the heat of the dung has not that power- 

 ful elfe£t on the flues, as fire heat has on the flues of 

 a hot-houfe ; becaufe the heat of dung is more fteady 

 and not fo violent as the heat of fire; and befides, the 

 -flues of the cucumber bed are almoft always in a moift 

 ftate, which is a preventative in them againfl crack- 

 ing or rending. 



E 4 When 



