252 



GARDEN FARMING 



in regtdating the flame of the lamp, so that it shall never touch 

 the edge of the pan containing the sulphur, and observe every pre- 

 caution to keep the sulphur from becoming ignited. Burning sul- 

 phur in an inclosure containing living 

 plants is certain death to all plants con- 

 tained in the area. The distillation of 

 sulphur which is kept in a molten condi- 

 tion over a sand bath is perfectly harm- 

 less to the plants, but is destructive to 

 parasitic fungi like lettuce mildew and 

 cucumber mildew. The device which is 

 used for the distillation of sulphur as 

 above described is shown in figure 94. 

 The melon aphis, which is frequently 

 troublesome upon cucumbers under green- 

 house conditions, can be controlled by 

 spraying with whale-oil soap or kerosene 



FIG. 94. Device for distilling 

 sulphur in greenhouses 



emulsion. Under ordinary conditions a treatment with one of the 

 commercial smudges of nicotine will usually be sufficient. 



GROWING CUCUMBERS FOR PICKLING PURPOSES 



The cultivation of cucumbers to supply the demands of the pickle 

 trade has assumed important commercial proportions in certain sec- 

 tions of the United States. As a rule, however, this industry is 

 not of long duration in any locality ; a period of eight or ten years 

 is about the maximum. The salting stations, as they are called, 

 which are the gathering points used by the pickle factories, are 

 generally of inexpensive construction, and those parts which are 

 most durable can be moved as necessity requires. 



In general the price received for cucumbers is remunerative, 

 and if the industry could be carried on extensively it would be a 

 profitable one. The fact that only a small acreage can be handled 

 by a single grower renders it a less attractive and less profitable 

 crop on the whole than it would be if large acreages could be han- 

 dled. The reason that only a small area can be grown by individual 

 farmers is that a large amount of hand labor is required to gather 

 the fruits. During the bearing season it is necessary to go over 



