694f Smith's Treatise 07i Cucumbers, Melons, SfC. 



about 15 in. on tbe outside, and that of the south about S in. 

 lower on the outside ; so that the surface of the two founda- 

 tions when finished shall be on one uniform slope from back 

 to front. Outside of these foundations four posts should be 

 previously inserted for regulating the height of the dung, 

 4 ft. high from the ground behind, and 3 ft. 6 in. from 

 it in front. The next thing is to build two dung walls 

 on the top of the foundations, to the same height as the 

 posts, trimming the inner sides of these walls, and making 

 the bottom of the space between them quite clean. This 

 space must then be covered by pieces of wood, strong enough 

 to bear the soil in which the plants are to be grown ; on these 

 pieces are to be laid wattled hurdles, on which are placed 

 about nine inches of dry dung, or fermenting dung, for the 

 plants to feed upon. The next operation is to put on the 

 frame and lights, &c., stopping up the ends of the vault or 

 space between the beds with pieces of board and litter, and 

 building a lining very firmly against them. Litter must be 

 also placed against the bottom of each rubble foundation, 

 high enough to keep in the steam. Such is an outline of 

 the structure of Mr. Smith's cucumber bed 5 all the rest may 

 be easily anticipated by any good cucumber grower. 



Mr. Smith takes advantage of the heat and steam gene- 

 rated in the vault between the two dung walls, to force 

 asparagus or other articles, or to grow mushrooms, in an 

 adjoining frame. For this purpose, he places a common 

 frame at one end of his cucumber bed, and admits the steam 

 irom the vacuity between the walls into it, by means of a metal 

 or wooden tube 2 or 3 inches in diameter, and 3 or 4 feet 

 long. One end of this tube is placed in the vault, and the other 

 in a hole in the side of the frame. A thinking gardener will 

 conceive all the rest, or have recourse to the work itself. 



In treating of the management of the cucumber and mush- 

 room, Mr. Smith considers the best mode of destroying those 

 pests of the gardener, woodlice, to be enticing them to some 

 shady spot " by dry litter, crums of cheese, &c., and then 

 pouring boiling water upon them." To prevent the rank 

 steam of the dung linings from entering the bed at the pro- 

 jections of the sashes, when air is given, Mr. Smith nails a 

 strip of Russian bast, l8 in. wide, on the upper part of the 

 back of the frame, turning it over the upper rail of the lights, 

 and fastening it to the lights or rafters so as to prevent its 

 being blown down. When air is given, this keeps out high 

 and strong winds as well as steam. 



It is evident that melons may be grown in the same way ; 

 and Mr. Smith remarks, that the necessary balance of heat 



