August 8, 1878. ] 
‘JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
101 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day | Day n Average Sun Sun | Moon | Moon | nfoon’s| Clock | Day 
Mouth Week IUESUSHS Sie NEUE Tem erate: near | Rises. | Sets Rises Sets. Age. petore oom 
Day. |Night.)Mean.| h. m.| h. m.| h. m.| b. m.| Days. | m. s. 
8 TH Lythall Show. 74.5 | 49.7 | 62.1 4 36 7 (35 5 18 | morn. 10 5 26 | 220 
9 F Sir J. E. Smith born, 1759. 74.6 50.2 | 62.4 4 38 BB Gina: OD 11 5 18 | 291 
10 Ss 75.3 | 52.6 | 64.0 4 39 7 31 6 37 1 14 12 5° 19° 1222 
11 | SUN | 8 SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 75.8 | 51.3 | 63.6 4°41) 7 29) 7 0) 2 30 13 5 0 | 2238 
12 M 75.2 50.8 63.0 4 42 7 27 7 18 3 46 14 4 50 | 224 
13 TU Clay Cross Show. 74.2 | 50.3 | 62.2 4 44] 7 25 Tye 5p i @ 4 40 | 225 
14 | W Jersey, Shrewsbury, and Ramsgate Shows. 72.5 | 50.8 | 61.6 4) 45h 7 M23 7 43 6 13 16 4 99 | 226 
From observations taken near London during forty-three years, the average day temperature of the week is 74.5°; and its night temperature 
03 
CULTURE OF CUCUMBERS IN WINTER. 
: a ne 
be shifted into larger, and have all the light 
“Sand air possible in fine weather ; with a steady 
bottom heat and with proper care they will be 
ready for planting out by the middle of August. 
If the weather is fine much fire heat will not be 
necessary, but if wet unfavourable weather should 
prevail after the middle of September fire heat is 
then indispensable. 
Cucumbers in winter are always best trained on trellises. 
I do not think it matters very much what kind of house is 
used for them, whether lean-to, half-span, or span-roofed, 
but it should\be in a position to receive all the sun- 
light possible, and also be sheltered from the north and 
east winds. The glass should be kept washed clean to 
admit of a maximum of light during the dull days of the 
year. Ihave always found Cucumbers do well in a com- 
post of light turfy loam with a little well-decomposed 
manure mixed with it. The soil should be used in a rough 
state—i.c., not sifted. 
When planted out give air on fine days, in order to 
secure short yet vigorous growth. Attention,should be paid 
to the training of the shoots to the wires, which should be 
a foot or 15 inches from the glass, and as soon as they 
reach part of the way up the points of the shoots should be 
nipped out, they will then soon produce laterals, and the 
fruit then will make its appearance; the laterals shouid 
be stopped at the joint beyond the fruit. If the plants 
grow very vigorously a thinning-out of the shoots will be 
necessary, for a few strong healthy shoots in winter are 
better than a large quantity of weak growths. It is best, 
too, if they should be very prolific in fruiting, to thin 
the fruit, for if allowed to bear too freely in the autumn 
months they will not be in such good condition for fruiting 
during the winter. Good waterings should be given as 
required, the water being of the same temperature as the 
house they are growing in. A steady regular bottom heat 
of 75° to 80° should be maintained. The top heat must be 
regulated according to the state of the weather. A tempe- 
rature of from 65° to 70° by night and 70° to 75° by day, 
with an increase of a few degrees by sun heat, will be a 
safe one; and on all fine days a little air at top should be 
given, for if this point be neglected mildew will soon make 
its appearance, and if it does flowers of sulphur should be 
lightly dusted on the parts affected, and sulphur also should 
be rubbed on the pipes. 
Evaporating troughs should be placed on the pipes to 
give off moisture, and weak liquid manure if put in them 
1s very beneficial to the well-doing of the plants. Gently 
sprinkling the foliage with tepid water during the morn- 
ings of fine days helps to keep red spider down; the 
walls and floors should also have water sprinkled on them 
two or three times a day. Air should be given very 
NO, 906.—VOL. XXXV., NEW SERIES 
O have Cucumbers in the winter months the 
plants must be now strong ; at any rate they 
must have beenraised from seed sown not later 
than the middle of July. Assuming that 
the plants are now in small pots, let them 
cautiously when cold winds prevail, but a little is necessary 
on most days if only for an hour to cause circulation and 
prevent stagnation of moisture. As the plants grow and 
roots increase layers of rough turf should be placed on 
them, and in the spring as the days lengthen weak liquid 
manure will prove beneficial. 
If a stock of plants bas not been raised from seed there 
is yet time to have plants for winter by layering some 
shoots; or a plan Lhave found equally good is to take some 
60-pots, knock the bottoms out with a hammer, then place 
a young shoot through the pot and stand it level on the 
bed so as to be convenient for watering it, then fill up the 
bottomless pot with soil, leaving of course a few inches 
or a few joints of the extremity of the shoot above the 
soil. If all is well the shoot will be rooted in a fortnight, 
when it may be severed from the parent plant and kept 
shaded for a few days, when it may be potted-on into a 
larger pot, or if the place is ready for it plant it out. 
As to sorts. The question is sometimes asked, Which is 
the best sort of Cucumber to grow? There is undoubtedly 
a large number of good varieties in commerce now, but 
most gardeners have not the convenience or even the desire 
for growing more than one or two, so long as they are 
productive and of good quality. Tender-and-True and 
Osmanton Manor have the reputation of being good varie- 
ties both for winter and summer use, but as I have never 
grown them I cannot speak of them. A few kinds I am 
well acquainted with I can speak of. 
In January last a span-roofed house 30 feet in length by 
about 12 feet in breadth was planted with twenty-three 
plants, one plant of Dickson’s Imperial Frame and eleven 
each of two other kinds—Cox’s Volunteer and Rollisson’s 
Telegraph. The latter two were both sown the same day, 
and had equal treatment. As to earliness, Cox’s Volunteer 
proved the best, I having cut from it a fortnight earlier 
than from Telegraph ; both proved very productive, but the 
latter produced the best fruit and continued bearimg well 
the longest.- In May another span-roofed house that had 
been used for bedding plants adjoining it, and of the 
same dimensions, was planted with four plants of Masters’ 
Prolific, four of Cuthill’s Black Spine, the rest all Tele- 
graph—about twenty-four plants altogether. Very little 
fire heat was used for this house, and the plants have been 
in full bearing for a long time. Telegraph has been de- 
cidedly the best, having yielded at least 25 per cent. more 
fruit plant for plant than any of the other sorts, and judged 
from a commercial point of view it has been decidedly 
the best. 
Those who have not a house for early Cucumbers in 
spring and have to resort to hotbed culture should try 
Streatham Hero. I have found it very early. This variety 
and Telegraph I have planted out the same day on the 
same hotbed, and the former has been cut from ten days 
sooner than the latter; but Telegraph had by far the best 
fruit and continued in bearing longer. If I were restricted 
to grow only one variety for spring, summer, autumn, and 
winter use I should grow Telegraph, for out of many 
hundred fruits I have cut this season it has been by far 
the best for productiveness and quality, and I can fully 
NO. 1558—VOL. LX., OLD SERIES. 
