854 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAIiDENING. 



nine plants in each, according to the size, height, 

 and spread of plants, the dwarfer growers being 

 near the front and the taUer behind, and disposed as 

 to colour after the strictest contrasting rule, that is, 

 scarlet, yellow, blue, white, and so on. Harmony of 

 colouring is an utter impossibility in. mixed borders, 

 and we have long since given up the attempt to 

 attain it. Dwarf annuals, such as Virginian Stocks, 

 Mignonette, and Saponaria calabrica are excellent 

 for filling out the front parts of such borders, and do 

 first-rate sown where they are to flower. Stocks, 

 Asters, Phlox Drummondii, Zinnias, and Everlast- 

 ings make excellent beds in themselves, and they 

 also look wonderfully well planted in straight lines 

 in long borders as follows : a back line of Sweet 

 Peas, then Everlastings, next Lupins, next Zinnias, 

 next tall Asters, then Stocks and Phlox Drummondii 

 alternated, the Phlox forming a cushion for the 

 Stocks and dwarf Asters that are planted as a mar- 

 ginal or front row. 



There are some few that make excellent bedding 

 plants, and may be requisitioned for that purpose 

 when ordinary bedders are likely to run short. 

 These are Brachyoome iberidifolia, Sanvitalia pro- 

 cumbens, Nemophilia insignia, the Annual Chrysan- 

 themums, Portulacaa, Collinaia bicolor, Phlox Drum- 

 mondii, Clintonia pulchella, and the African and 

 French Marigolds. Probably there are no other 

 flower-garden plants that receive so little cultural 

 attention as do the major portion of Annuals, and a 

 word of advice on this score is therefore necessary ; 

 and that is, give them their due proportion of care 

 as to soil, thinning, tying, staking, mulching, and 

 vigilance anent the attacks of grubs and slugs, and 

 they will reward such attention by proving — all 

 points considered — at least equal, both in length of 

 season and quality, to any other garden flowers. 



THE CUCUMBEE. 



By WlLLiAM Earlet. 



Cuouraber [Cucumis sativus). French, Con- 

 eombre ; German, GurJce ; Spanish, Cohomhro. — The 

 culture of the Cucumber has interested amateur and 

 practical growers greatly from the earliest period of 

 its introduction down to and including the present 

 time. With the generality of cultivators, frame 

 culture is practised, owing to the fact that glass 

 structures are generally expensive to erect and main- 

 tain. For market purposes, and where the con- 

 sumption is large, the latter is, however, to be pre- 

 ferred, if not essential. 



Though a native of the East Indies, the several 

 sub-varieties obtained by cross-fertilisation, &o., 

 down to ths Gherkin, a short prickly form grown in 



the open fields, wiU thrive more or less in a lower 

 degree of warmth than is generally surmised. Even 

 "frame" Cucumbers will succeed in green-houses 

 during the summer months, as will certain kinds 

 of moderate length and quality upon ridges out of 

 doors, having the assistance of a little bottom heat 

 and hand-lights only, to give them an early and free 

 start into growth. 



Though, however, it is comparatively easy to grow 

 Cucumbers during the summer months, or from the 

 month of May to September, inclusive, much care 

 and attention is requisite to succeed with them 

 throughout the winter months and in the very early 

 spring. At these seasons an insufiiciency of light 

 and an excess of moisture are" the chief evils to be 

 guarded against. Winter Cucumbers have now, 

 however, become so much a necessity to many 

 growers, that special instructions will be given for 

 their culture ; but as the frame culture of the Cu- 

 cumber is really within reach of aU, we will give 

 full instructions in regard to them first. 



Tlie Preparation of the Materials and 

 SoTving of the Seeds. — To secure a good early 

 crop of fruit, the necessary materials should be got 

 together towards the end of the month of January 

 in each year. Owing to the small amount of space 

 actually needed to raise seedlings in, a one-light 

 frame will be ampLy large enough. The fermenting 

 materials for this frame must be thoroughly sweet- 

 ened by the process of successional fermentations, by 

 repeated turnings over, so that no rank steam can 

 possibly be given off from them subsequently. The 

 bed for this one-light must be five feet high when 

 first packed up, and exceed the length and width of 

 the frame by four inches on aU sides. Linings must 

 next be packed against this bed all round, some 

 eighteen inches to two feet in width, and be so 

 brought up at the top as to cover the outer wood- 

 work of the frame on all sides. Such heat as thus 

 penetrates through the woodwork of the frame will 

 have a needful drying effect on the atmosphere 

 within; as, given the needful amount of artificial 

 warmth, the greatest difficulty subsequentlj' wiU be to 

 keep down excessive steam, or atmospheric moisture. 

 By making up this bed, with linings, early in the month 

 of February, letting it heat well with the sash on, but 

 with air given fi-eely tack and front, the heat will 

 be so moderated early in the same month also, that 

 seeds may be sown in pots and placed therein. Hence, 

 by the time the yoimg plants are through the ground, 

 a warm pure atmosphere will exist, which by air- 

 giving, &c., should be a mean of about 78° or 80° by 

 day, and not less than 74° by night. A layer of hay, 

 over which mats may be placed, will insure the 

 necessary degree of warmth by night, though a very 



