38 
N ew Principles of Gardening. 
The Fruit {prings forth from between the Stalks and Leaves, 
and appears very large before that the Bloffom at its end opens ; 
and when thefe Blofioms blow ftrong and large, ‘tis a very great 
proof of the Vine being in .a good State of Health : So alfo 
tis to be obferved in young Plants, when they hold their Seed 
Leaves with Strength and good Colour. And befides thefe 
Blofloms produced at the end of the Fruit, there are others, 
which grow at the Joints, called falfe Bloffoms, which never 
produce any Thing; and are therefore by Gardiners picked 
off, as foon as ever they appear, to prevent their drawing any 
Nourifhment from the Vines, which is fuppofed to prejudice 
the Fruit belonging thereunto. 
As to Mr. Bradley’s Opinion of the male Duft contain’d in 
thefe male Bloffoms, and convey’d by the Air or Wind, to the 
female Bloffoms at the end of the Fruit; Iam not fo good a 
Philofopher, as to confirm or {peak one Word of the fame. Per- 
haps it may be fo, and that he may have feen, and been privy 
to fuch like Sports more than I have as yet thought on; but 
I.can affirm this for Truth, as alfo can many good Gardiners 
at Twickenham and other Places befides ; That I have raifed 
many a good Crop of Cucumbers in very great Perfection, on 
whofe Vines I never fuffer’d one fingle falfe (or male) Bloffom 
to open, or even attain one fourth part of its Growth; for as 
foon as ever they appear’d, I inftantly difplaced them (as every 
good Gardiner always does) and never could obferve, that for 
want of their familiar Converfation with the female Blofloms 
at the ends of the Fruit, did ever lofe one fingle Cucumber 
thereby : However as 1 am not fo proper a Judge of Procrea- 
tion, as Mr. Bradley may be, I fhall fubmit to his better 
Judgment. 
When your Vines are tolerably grown, and feveral Fruit fet, 
be careful that they are not check’d, or ftarved for want of Wa- 
ter, which will caufe the Fruit to be both deform’d and of a 
bitter Tafte: And as the Vines make their Progrefs, ftir up the 
Surface of the Earth at the Ends of their Shoots very gently, 
that their tender Roots may the cafier ftrike therein ; for the 
Nature of the Roots of a Cucumber is fuch, as to extend 
themfelves as far from the main Stem within the Ground, as 
the Vines do without. The extenfion and fize of the Roots, 
and Vines of every Kind of Cucumber, is always in proportion 
3 to 
