THE 



GARDENER'S MAGAZINE, 



DECEMBER, 1843. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. Bicton Gardens, their Culture and Management, in a Series 

 of Letters to the Conductor. By James Barnes, Gardener to the 

 Right Honourable Lady RoUe. 



{Continued from p. 606.) 

 Letter XXIV. System of Cucumber-Growing. 



I BEG to take the present opportunity, having half an hour to 

 spare, of making a few remarks on my system of cucumber- 

 growing, which is a very easy and simple method. 



I believe there is no one thing in the whole practice of 

 gardening that has caused more contention amongst gardeners 

 of all classes than cucumber-growing ; neither do I believe 

 there is any one thing that has had more treatises written on it. 

 Many of these, I make no doubt, have proved useful ; but I am 

 in no way acquainted with the contents of any of them, never 

 having seen but one work on the growth or cultivation of the 

 cucumber, and that was an old book I had lent me many years 

 since, at a time when I was in full practice in a market-garden, 

 and which did not interest me much. It is a plant I have 

 always been particularly fond of growing, and in the culture of 

 which I had for several years a very extensive practice in the 

 London market-gardens. 



The cucumber called the Man of Kent was raised by me, 

 and has been very highly esteemed, as may be seen by referring 

 to the different exhibition reports. 



I have seen gardeners attempt to grow cucumbers in October, 

 and lose their plants several times in the course of the Avinter, 

 not managing to cut a cucumber before May day ; but being 

 supplied Avith plants, first from one neighbour and then the 

 other, from six to ten times. It is easy to guess a gardener's 

 errand about the month of Mai'ch, if he is seen running about 

 with a small basket or hat-box. I have seen many men who 

 would not commence growing cucumbers until they had either 

 seen or heard of a neighbour beginning, or a thought had struck 

 them from seeing the sun shine ; and then they would make a 



.3d Ser. — 184.3. XII. u u 



