CUCUMBERS 



241 



from i\ to 2\ inches. The edible period of the English forced 

 cucumber is much longer than that of the American type. 



Strange as it may seem, the English forcing cucumber does not 

 sell readily in most of the American markets. Outside of New 

 Orleans and a few special markets the taste of the American 

 consumer has not been developed, as yet, to the point of accept- 

 ing this type of cucumber, but there is always a ready sale for 

 well-grown hothouse or forcing cucumbers of the American type. 



FIG. 88. American type of cucumber used for forcing and growing in the open 



The American type of cucumber, shown in figure 88, is chiefly 

 grown in the field, and the product is used either for pickling or 

 slicing. Only a few of the field varieties producing fruits large 

 enough for slicing are used for forcing purposes. Among these is 

 the White Spine, the Arlington White Spine being the variety 

 which has been especially developed for forcing. The Long Green, 

 or a modification of it, is also sometimes used, but aside from these 

 there are few varieties that ever find their way into the forcing 

 house. The cluster varieties and the Boston Pickling, the Chicago 

 Pickling, and the like, are not adapted to forcing purposes. 



