Cucumber Frame in a Vinery. 2'S 



Art. XI. Chi a Mode of procuring a Crop of Cucumbers dur- 

 ing Winter, by forming the Hot-bed within a Vinery. By 

 Mr. James Reed. 



The gardener that is most successful in growing early 

 cucumbers is generally considered clever in every other part 

 of his business. This is not altogether without reason, for the 

 man who bestows the necessary attention to keeping up the 

 proper degree of heat, giving and taking away air, covering 

 and uncovering, &c, to a cucumber frame, during the winter 

 months, is likely to be of regular habits and careful attention, 

 and these qualities go far towards ensuring success in whatever 

 is taken in hand. 



The duties of gardeners in small places near large towns 

 are generally very different from those of their brethren in the 

 country. In the former case, their attention is confined to a few 

 objects, and of course greater excellence is attained; in the latter, 

 the gardener has often the charge of extensive shrubberies, park 

 scenery, and distant plantations, and these necessarily take 

 him away great part of his time from the kitchen-garden, and 

 leave him dependent upon his assistants. It was the experi- 

 ence of the uncertain results connected with this dependence, 

 which led me to the plan of placing my winter cucumber bed 

 in a vinery, and to manage the vinery and bed in the manner 

 I am now about to describe. 



This vinery was forty feet long, sixteen feet broad, twelve- 

 feet high at the back, and five feet and a half high in the front,, 

 with one fireplace, and a flue which passed round the house. 

 The air could be admitted both by the top and front lights. 



On or about the 20th of September, cucumber seeds were 

 sown on a moderate hot-bed in the open air, and treated in 

 the usual manner till they were ready to ridge out. This ge- 

 nerally happened about the beginning of November, at which 

 time the shoots of the vines were withdrawn from the house, 

 and a dung bed formed in the floor in the usual wav. After 

 placing the frame and mould on the bed, it may be left without 

 the lights till the rank steam has passed off. After this the 

 plants being placed in the hills, and the sashes put on, the 

 following are the leading features of management during the 

 winter : — 



Make fires in the evening, so as to warm the air of the 

 house to from 56° to 60°, and in very severe frosts it may be 

 raised to 70°. In the mornings of the coldest weather, and 

 shortest days, make a strong fire, so as to raise the heat to 

 nearly 70°, when the house is shut up. About eight o'clock 



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