156 



and early summer come on, temperatures become too 

 liigh for lettuce, but ideal for the cucumber. A change 

 of crops should be made about this season of the year. 



Growing cucumbers for pickles in many sections of 

 the country is an extensive and important industry. 

 On account of the iact that a definite market is known 

 to be available beforehand it is not necessary that 

 the crop be started unusually early. Planting may 

 be delayed until out-of-door conditions are ideal for 

 growth. It is important that the soil be highly 

 fertilized and cultivated in order that a rank 

 vigorous growth may be secured and a crop 

 of high quality be produced. The cucumbers are 

 picked for this purpose when from one-half to five 

 inches in length, graded into various sizes and 

 prepared for market in various ways. The grower 

 usually sells his pickles by the pound or count, 

 lience much higher prices must be secured for the 

 smaller ones if they are to prove profitable. In case 

 of cucumbers for pickling and table use it is highly 

 important that all fruits be gathered before they 

 become old enough to mature their seed. When 

 this process starts a heavy drain is made upon the 

 plant and new fruits usually cease to set. 



Several serious pests attack the cucumber, often 

 causing heavy losses. The striped cucumber beetle 

 is the most serious insect, and is commonly found 

 in every locality where this plant is grown. 

 The insect lives over winter in the soil, and 

 attacks the young, tender plants just as they 

 come up through the ground. It sucks the Juices 

 from the plant, causing them to shrivel and die in a 

 comparatively short time. After the second or third 

 whorl of leaves make their appearance the plant 

 seems to be too tough to be seriously damaged by this 



