ODOUMBEB. 139 



protect against late frosts — that the Northern garden- 

 ers do, Cucumbers would be a proHtable crop, very 

 much more so than it is at present. 



Charleston Cucumbers, that reach New York in 

 good order in May, bring from seven to eight dollars 

 per crate, holding about one hundred Cucumbers. 

 In June the price falls to seventy-five cents or one 

 dollar a box of the same quantity ; and stUl later 

 there is no demand at all for Southern Cucumbers. 

 Growers near Charleston do not realize now, in a 

 favorable season, more than two to three hundred 

 dollars per acre, of which about one-half is profit. 

 I know, however, of one instance when sixteen hun- 

 dred dollars was made from a single acre of Cucum- 

 bere grown in the neighborhood of Charleston and 

 sold in New York. 



Late frosts frequently injure the young vines. In 

 1868 some friends in James' Island had two-thirds of 

 their vines killed b}' a frost on the 3d of April, but, 

 with the small boxes spoken of, the vines \\-ould have 

 been saved. In field-culture the spaces between the 

 rows should be thoroughly cultivated before the vines 

 begin to run, and no weeds nor grass allowed to get 

 possession of the groimd. 



A dozen and a half of hills, well-managed in the 

 garden, will keep the family table well supplied dur- 

 ing the season. An ounce of seed will plant that 

 munber of hills. It is better to plant plenty of seed, 

 for the ^'- strl2>eil huj'' may destroy some; and when 

 the vines begin to run, all but thi-ee plants to a. hill 

 may be pulled up. 



