preserving, and packing Fruits. 35 



along side the incipient cucumber, two pieces of wood about 

 the length you suppose the fruit may grow to, about two 

 inches square, and with the upper inner angle of each piece 

 bevelled off. The use of these pieces of wood is, to increase 

 the solar heat by reflection in the daytime, and, by close con- 

 finement during the night, to draw out the fruit considerably 

 beyond its natural length. A fruit which in ordinary cases 

 would run but eight or ten inches in length, may, by this pro- 

 cess, be extended to ten or twelve inches. This species of 

 elongation, however, is attended with small prickles, placed 

 at greater distances than is desirable in a handsome fruit. 

 Abundance of heat and air will lessen this evil ; and it may be 

 cured artificially, by inserting prickles in the manner to be 

 afterwards described. 



To ensure shape, size, prickles, and bloom, the foliage of 

 the plant must be kept moderately thin. The same sort of 

 cucumber grown under a crowd of leaves, and grown in a free 

 circulation of air exposed to sunshine, will be as different in 

 appearance as the fruits of two distinct varieties. In watering 

 the plants, never wet the fruit. Before cutting the fruit, see 

 that they are perfectly straight, at least a day previously ; for, 

 though warped fruit may be straightened after they are cut, 

 this operation is much better performed when they are on the 

 plant. 



In straightening warped fruit after they are cut, it is neces- 

 sary to keep them in a cool dry place, and totally excluded from 

 change of air. Among the different means recommended for 

 straightening, some bury them in a case in earth, others keep 

 them in a damp cellar, and some few immerse them in dry 

 sand. Mr. Gauen never found any other care necessary, than 

 to keep them in their show-box, in a cool dry room. 



Mr.Gauen's mode of straightening cucumbers is as follows : — 

 " Take a flat board, half an inch thick, four inches broad, and 

 the length of your fruit ; bore holes, at intervals of half an 

 inch, across the board, and within one inch of each end. Pro- 

 vide two strips, the length of the board, one half inch wide, 

 and one fourth inch thick ; place one strip on edge, supported 

 by a peg placed in one of the holes outside the strip that is on 

 edge, and put the board under the growing fruit, with the two 

 ends of the arc formed by the crooked fruit against the upright 

 strip ; place a bit of cotton wool or moss between each end of 

 the fruit and the upright strip, to prevent bruising. Then 

 take the other strip, and bring it within a peg placed at one 

 end, with a bit of wool or moss placed against the outer arc of 

 the crooked fruit as before. Proceed to straighten the fruit, 



D 2 



