CUCUMBER 307 
to the use of inferior seed. 
They may be responsible 
for low yields, a large per- 
centage of culls and seri- 
ous losses from the depre- 
dations of diseases of va- 
rious kinds. Cucumber 
growers cannot give this 
matter too much atten- 
tion. 
There need be prac- 
tically no uncertainty 
about the ability of the 
seed to produce, under 
favorable conditions, a 
large crop of the finest 
specimens. Small plant- 
ings should be made of 
each lot of seeds in order a 
to determine their merits 
Fig. 104.—White Spine cucumber. The 
before large areas are eft specimen is of much better form at 
planted for commercial ‘Ste™ &"¢ 
purposes. The adoption of such a policy will be cer- 
tain to result in more uniform success from year to year. 
Some of the seedsmen catalogue special forcing strains 
or varieties of cucumbers, and many of them are excellent. 
Most of the largest commercial growers prefer to produce 
and save their own seed. Jt is not unusual for them to 
have small houses (Fig. 107) in which the seed crop is 
grown. Vigorous, productive, disease-resistant plants 
are selected, on which the fruits are as uniform as possible 
in color, size and shape. The fruits should be thinned to 
five or six specimens on each plant. Fig. 108 shows 
some choice seed specimens of a Middle West grower. 
One hundred cucumbers of Abundance produced two 
pounds of seed. The fruits should be allowed to become 
thoroughly ripe before they are picked for seed. The 
