KITCHEN-GARDEN PLANTS. CHAP. 



plants into each pot j holding the head of each towards 

 the rim, while you put in more earth with the other 

 hand to fill the pot up to the rim. Then take the pot and 

 gently rap the bottom of it upon the edge of the frame 

 three or four times, which will settle down the earth 

 sufficiently, and will leave the earth about half an inch 

 below the rim. You may then press the root of each 

 plant a little with the point of your finger, and put on a 

 little more earth to make all smooth. Observe, that the 

 shanks of the plants are to go so deeply down into the 

 pot as to leave the seed leaves but a very little above the 

 level of the earth in the pot. The earth will come out of 

 the heap to fill the pots with ; and a very small part of it will 

 suffice. You will now draw the earth from the sides of the 

 frame towards the middle of the bed, and, having formed 

 it into a broader heap than before, put the pots down into 

 the mould up to the rim, taking care that they stand per- 

 fectly level, and taking care also, that the tops of the 

 plants do not stand too far from the glass j for that would 

 cause them to be drawn up and be made weak. About 

 six inches from the glass is quite enough. I am sup- 

 posing that your first cucumber-bed, for the producing 

 of fruit, is to have four lights. You will therefore want 

 but four pots of plants, but it will be better to have 

 double the number j the supernumeraries cost nothing, and 

 they may save aneighbour the trouble of making a seed-bed. 

 In this state the plants stand until they go into the 

 bed where they are to bear. They will be fit for re- 

 moval as soon as they have made two fair rough leaves, 

 and have begun to exhibit the appearance of shoots or 

 runners coming forth. But, while the plants are in this 

 situation, you must be careful to top them or stop them. 



