126 GARDEN STEPS 



Varieties Specially Adapted for Pickling. — For 



pickling, the Boston Pickling, the Green Prolific, 

 and the Green Cluster are all recommended. These 

 are early sorts which may be planted for the general 

 pickle supply, along in the early summer, even as 

 late as July, except in the northern belt. The 

 Japanese Climbing Cucumber is a type which climbs 

 on any support that is provided. This has fruit of 

 the best quality and, as the vines are off the ground, 

 it seems to be less affected by blights than ^other 

 varieties. 



It would be a good plan to test out a hill or two 

 of each of three or four varieties. The seed is inex- 

 pensive ; and in this way you may find one type 

 which succeeds in your vicinity, where others do not 



do well. 



Planting 



Two Crops. — Cucumbers are very sensitive to 

 extremes of both cold and heat. The lightest frost 

 in the spring will spoil the young plants, and the 

 hot, dry weather of midsummer is likely to hurt the 

 mature vines. For this reason it is best in most 

 localities to plant an early crop, which may die out 

 in midsummer, and a second crop, which will be 

 maturing after the hottest days have passed. 



As partial shade is good for cucumbers in July 

 and August, it would be well to plant a few hills in 

 the rows between the late corn. These vines will 

 have sun enough during the middle of the day, but 



