BOOK I. CULTURE OF THE CUCUMBER. 571 



heat of the bed. Put three plants in each pot, and insert them a little slopingly, quite 

 to the seed-leaves. Plunge the pots into the earth ; and you may prick some plants also 

 into the earth of the bed. Give a very little water just to the roots : the water should be 

 previously warmed to the temperature of the bed. Draw on the glasses ; but admit air 

 daily, to promote the growth of the plants, as well as to give vent to the steam rising in 

 the bed, by tilting the lights behind, from half an inch to an inch or two high, in propor- 

 tion to the heat of the bed and temperature of the weather. Cover the glasses every 

 night with garden-mats, and remove them timely in the morning. Give twice a week, 

 once in two days, or daily, according to the season, a very light watering. Keep up a 

 moderate lively heat in the bed, by requisite linings of hot dung to the sides." 



3193. M'Phail, having sown and placed the pots on the naked bed, says, the plants will come up in a few 

 days ; and when they have fully expanded their two seed-leaves, transplant them into small pots, three 

 plants in each pot ; set them on the surface of the dung in the bed, and let a little air be left at the light 

 day and night, to let the steam pass off freely. " When the seedling plants have one or two joints, stop 

 them, after which they generally put forth two shoots, each of which let run till they have made one or 

 two clear joints, and then stop them ; and afterwards continue throughout the season to stop the plants at 

 every joint." 



3194. Nlcol directs to guard the seeds from mice, which generally swarm about hot-beds, by laying a 

 pane of glass over the pot or pan till they have come up; and afterwards, at night, by covering with a pot 

 of equal size, till the seed-leaves have expanded, and the husks have dropped : for, until then, the plants 

 are liable to be destroyed. The cover, however, should always be removed by sunrise, and replaced in 

 the evening. It is at night these vermin generally commit their depredations. No air need be admitted 

 till the heat begin to rise, and steam begin to appear; but after that, the light should be tilted a little 

 every day, in whatever state the weather may be, until the plants break ground. Air must then be ad- 

 mitted with more care ; and, if frosty or very chill, the end of a mat should be hung over the opening, 

 that the air may sift through it, and not immediately strike the plants. A little aired water may be given 

 once a-day, from the time the seeds begin to chip ; and if a very strong heat rise, the pots should be raised 

 a little, to prevent the roots from being injured. They should be frequently examined on this account, 

 and if the heat be violent, should be set loosely in the sand, or be placed entirely on the surface. The air of 

 the bed should be kept to about 65 degrees in the night ; allowing a few degrees of a rise in sunshine. If 

 the weather be severe, therefore, the mats must be doubled or tripled ; and if mild, perhaps a single one 

 may suffice. But, unless in very bad weather, they should ;always be removed by sunrise, in order to 

 admit all the sun and light possible to the plants, which is very essential to their welfare. 



3195. Pricking out. When the plants are about an inch and a half high, they are then fit to be pricked 

 out into nursing-pots. These pots should be about three and a half or four inches diameter at top, and as 

 much in depth. The mould to be used should be the same as that the seeds were sown in, and should be 

 laid in the frame a few hours previous to potting, in order to bring it to a proper degree of warmth, that 

 the tender fibrils be not chilled by it. Let the pots be filled about one half with the earth ; turn the 

 plants' carefully out of the seed-pot ; place three in each against the side of the pot, and so as that their 

 leaves may be just above its margin ; then cover the roots with the mould, rubbing it fine between the 

 fingers, and filling the pots nearly to the brim. Work over the sand in the frame to its full depth ; 

 plunge the pots to within an inch of their rims ; and cover the whole surface with a little dry earth as at 

 first, making it level with the tops of the'pots. Then give a little aired water, in order to settle the earth 

 to the roots of the plants. 



3196. Second sowing. As these tender seedlings, at this early period, are liable to many accidents, 

 it will be proper to sow a little more seeds of the same kinds at this time, in order to provide a supply of 

 plants. If they should not be wanted, the trouble is not much ; and they may be given to a neighbor, or 

 be thrown away. 



3197. Routine culture. Let air be admitted to them as freely as the state of the weather will allow ; and 

 supply them moderately with water once in two or three days. Examine the pots frequently, if the heat 

 be violent, lest the roots be scorched ; setting them loosely, or pulling them up a little in that case ; or, if 

 thought necessary, placing them entirely on the surface. If much steam abound in the bed at this time, 

 it may be proper to leave the light tilted half an inch in the night; observing to hang the lap of a single 

 mat two or three inches over the tilt. But if the bed was carefully turfed over, as directed at making up, 

 this will seldom be necessary ; never but in thick hazy weather. Mat up carefully at night; but make a 

 point of admitting all the sun and light possible to the plants ; therefore uncover always by sunrise, and 

 frequently wash or wipe the glasses clean, outside and inside, as they are often clogged by a mixture of 

 steam and dust. Also, occasionally stir the surface of the sand or earth in the frame with the point of a 

 stick, in order to extirpate vapor that hovers on the surface, and so purify the internal air of the bed. If 

 the heat begin to decrease, and particularly if the weather be severe, it may be necessary to line one or 

 more sides of the bed, that the plants may receive no check in their growth. If it be a one-light box, 

 boih back and front may be lined at the same time ; and, if necessary, in ten or twelve days, the two sides ; 

 and if much steam arise from the linings after they come into heat, be careful, in matting at night, to 

 tuck up the edges of the mat, lest it be thrown into the bed. 



3198. Mills, as soon as the seed-leaves of the plants are fully expanded, transplants them singly into pots 

 of the 48th size, gives a little water and air night and day. His temperature for seedlings, as already stated, 

 is from 65 to 75 degrees. With this heat, and water, as the earth in the pots becomes dry, and a little air 

 night and day, so as to keep the internal air in the frame sweet, and fluctuating between the degrees 

 of heat above mentioned, the plants will be fit for finally transplanting out in one month, that is, by 

 the 14th of November, into the fruiting-frames. (Hort. Trans, vol. iii.) 



3199. Forming the fruiting-bed. Abercrombie directs, "When the plants are ad- 

 vanced in some tolerable stocky growth, that is, when the first rough leaves are two 

 or three inches broad, or when the plants have been raised about five weeks, transplant 

 them to a larger hot-bed, with a two-light or three-light frame, sometimes called the 

 ridging-out bed." Form the bed on general principles, of superficial extent according 

 to the frame it is to support, leaving from four to six inches all round, and fixing the 

 height according to the season. Thus, in January, Abercrombie directs the bed to be 

 " three feet nine inches high in front ; four feet six inches at the back ; and six inches 

 larger than the frame all round : in February, three feet three inches high at the front ; 

 four feet at the back ; and four inches to spare round the frame : in March, three feet 

 high in front ; three feet six inches at back ; and four inches beyond the frame every 

 way. Put on the frame and glasses presently after the body of dung is built up, to 

 defend it from the weather. At the same time raise the glasses a little at the upper 



