OF THE CUCUMBER. 75 



XVTien the heat becomes too powerful for the roots 

 to grow in, the plants will fhow it by their Tick, 

 weakly appearance ; and if the mould on the furface 

 of the bed under the plants be examined, it will be 

 found of a gray colour : When this happens, it is call- 

 ed a burning heat. 



The only methods that I have yet learned, or 

 ever heard of, either for preventing or for curing 

 this burning heat of the bed, are four. The firft of 

 thefe is, giving plenty of air ; the fecond is, making 

 holes in the fides of the bed ; the third is, taking the 

 burnt or over-heated mould out from under the roots 

 of the plants, and putting frefli mould in its ftead ; 

 and the fourth is, pouring water into the dung of the 

 bed to quench its fiery heat. 



The firfl of thefe methods is the mod fimple and 

 eafy to be put in pradice, but it feldom anfwers the 

 defired end, for much air ftarves the branches of the 

 plants, while the great heat in the dung of the bed 

 hinders the roots of the plants from making due 

 progrefs. ^ 



The fecond method, which is making holes in the 

 fides of the bed to lefTen the great heat of it, may be 

 of fome fervice, but it is rather precarious. The heat 

 pafling off on the outfide of the bed certainly cools 

 the bed 5 but by that means the air in the frames is 

 liable to be made too cold, and it is not the heat of 

 the air that is wanted to be leflened, but the heat 

 immediately under the hills of plants. 



The third method is attended with more trouble 

 than tli^ two former, and its operations are attended 



but 



