136 



CUCUMBEES. 



The Cucumber cannot be planted ont of doors 

 with any safety until May, when the weather is set- 

 tled and the ground is warm. To gain time, garden- 

 ers sow the seed in moderate hot-beds, from the 1st to 

 the 10th of April, either in rows three inches apart, 

 or in thumb-pots, putting three or four seeds to each 

 pot. The seed will sprout in a week from the time 

 of planting, and then the plants should be aired 

 freely eveiy day, to prevent them from growing too 

 spindling. Early in May the ground should be pre- 

 pared in the usual way. The more thoroughly pul- 

 verized the soil, the better will the result be in the 

 crop of Cucumbers. The ground should be marked 

 out five feet each way, and at each intersection a hole 

 made with a spade. Into each of these 

 holes a forkful of well-rotted manure 

 should be put, and then fine soil drawn 

 over this manure, forming a hill two 

 or three inches above the level of the sui-- 

 face, and ten or twelve inches in diam- 

 eter. 



The plants in the frames by this time 

 will have three or foiir rough leaves, and 

 will be fully ready to transplant to the 

 hills. This should be done in cloudy or 

 damp weather, and always in the after- 

 noon. The plants should be taken up with 

 considerable care, so as not to disturb the 

 roots, and three of them set in each hill. 

 This will take a few more than five thou- 

 sand plants to the acre, and they can be 

 grown in twelve or fifteen sashes of 3x6. 



