PLANTS. 



at large. Finally, in very rich and warm ground, you 

 may sow cucumber-seed in the natural earth, the ground 

 having previously been well dug, and being kept very 

 clean afterwards ; and, though there be a chance of your 

 having no crop, you may have, and generally will have, 

 a great quantity of cucumbers to pickle by the latter end 

 of August. Before I dismiss this article, let me observe, 

 that I have omitted to say any thing about what is called 

 setting the fruit by poking the centre of the male blossoms 

 into the centre of the female blossoms j because I deem 

 it to be arrant nonsense. The reader ought, before I 

 entirely quit this article, to be informed, that the hot-bed 

 in which the cucumber plants were first raised, may be 

 turned to very good account after the plants come out of 

 it j asparagus may be put into it immediately -, or, it may 

 be sowed with radishes, onions, lettuces, small-salad, or 

 with carrots. Many purposes will suggest themselves to 

 every man. And, if the bed should fail of its original 

 purpose altogether ; or 4 if, owing to some accident, the 

 four-light bed should fail of its purpose, still, these hot- 

 beds will be found to be of great use for other purposes, 

 and will be quite sufficient in point of strength for plants 

 of a more hardy nature. 



146. DILL is an aromatic herb, very much like, only 

 smaller than, fennel, and it is used by many amongst 

 cucumbers to give an additional relish j as it is also in 

 soups. It is a hardy biennial plant, and a small patch in 

 the herb garden of two feet by six will be enough for any 

 family. Sow in drills six inches apart, in the spring, 

 making the ground fine first, and raking fine earth lightly 

 over the drills. Thin the plants out when they are a 



