CUCUMBERS 173 



water in with warm water. Plunge the pots in a 

 gentle bottom heat until the young growth appears, 

 then place them near the glass in a temperature rang- 

 ing from 60 to 70 and not below 60 at night. As 

 the rough leaves appear pot on into four-inch pots, 

 warming the soil and placing it about the roots care- 

 fully. Plant in the prepared bed when these pots 

 become filled with roots, and great care must be taken 

 that the plants are not exposed to any chill from cold 

 draughts or by applying cold water to the roots or 

 foliage. 



A suitable compost for this planting will be the 

 soil cut from an old pasture the previous autumn. 

 Chop up as small as hen's eggs, and if at all heavy 

 mix with it some well-decayed leaf soil, old spent 

 Mushroom bed, road scrapings and old mortar rubble. 

 Place on the bed and make moderately firm. 



Pinch out the point of the growth after it has 

 reached the first wire, and do not shade at all as Cucum- 

 bers like plenty of sun, and admit very little air at any 

 time. Never allow the roots to become dry or the 

 fruits will be useless. When the plants are in full 

 bearing give manure water at every other watering, 

 also a top dressing once a fortnight of loam and well- 

 rotted manure, with a sprinkling occasionally of a good 

 artificial manure. Liquid manure water poured on 

 the floor at night will greatly benefit the plants. Look 

 over them two or three times a week, remove decay- 

 ing leaves and badly shaped fruits, and regulate the 

 growths. 



