280 Culture of the Cucumber. 



of substitutes and systems that annually profess to surpass this 

 and all else. These systems, whatever may be their respective 

 merits, are worse than useless to the generality of cultivators, 

 as they usually require apparatus to carry them into effect too 

 expensive for people of limited means ; and, whether they are 

 better adapted for such as have the requisites at command, it is 

 not for me to determine. Directions for these modes are so 

 superabundant, that even a chapter upon the subject would be a 

 work of supererogation, and in me of presumption : therefore, 

 my remarks are designed solely for the use of non-professionals, 

 for such as are single-handed, or even for those who have other 

 avocations, that render the attention requisite to produce cu- 

 cumbers in March or April almost an impossibility. Such 

 persons are often unjustly branded with neglect, and deprived 

 of the rewards of much anxiety and attention, by circumstances 

 for which they are not to blame, and over which they have no 

 control. 



Numbers of men are engaged as gardener and groom ; that 

 is, they are expected to perform properly the duties of groom, 

 and after that to make the most of the garden that their time 

 and abilities may admit. Such persons, having manure at 

 command, are generally expected to grow cucumbers. It was 

 the answer given by a very intelligent person of this class, to the 

 question why he had given them up, that led me to pen these 

 remarks ; and, as no one understands the difficulties of any 

 station so thoroughly as he who has experienced them, I prefer 

 giving the answer in his own words : " I gave up growing 

 them," said he, "from finding success a mere matter of chance; 

 and that my trouble was often in vain by the loss of my plants, 

 even when upon the eve of cutting, and the loss occasioned by 

 treatment beyond my power to remedy. I am often called 

 away for a whole day at an early part of the morning ; in such 

 cases it is impossible to say what the day may turn out, and I 

 must either leave my plants in darkness during my absence, or 

 uncover them and give air at a time that is unseasonable. 

 Should the day prove fine, there may not be much the matter; 

 if otherwise, my plants are in little better condition than if they 

 were growing in the open air. In a gloomy morning, if I leave 

 them shut up, and sunshine follow, they are sure to get scorched ; 

 and, in either case, loss and disappointment are sure to succeed." 

 Now, it is as a remedy for this that I detail the practice which I 

 have followed during the past and present season ; and I see no 

 reason why I should ever abandon it, as success is more certain 

 by it than by that generally followed, while the necessity of 

 constant attendance is altogether dispensed with. 



From the time that the bed is in good condition, and the 

 seed sown, until the season is so far advanced as to render the 



