THE CUCUMBER. 251 



is, a matter that requires great attention and care. When 

 a supply is required the whole year round, the compara- 

 tive ease and certainty with which it can be accomplished 

 depends of course to a great extent on the appliances at 

 command for such a purpose. When dependent for 

 heat on the cumbrous and untidy dung-bed or linings, 

 it is a somewhat precarious and trying task. On the 

 other hand, with a well-constructed cucumber-house, 

 efficiently heated with hot water, a constant supply can 

 with certainty be maintained, and with much less labour 

 than with dung-linings alone. Considering, however, 

 that very many growers have yet nothing more advanced 

 than a brick pit, heated by means of fermenting stable- 

 ' litter, and, where they can be had, leaves, to supply. cu- 

 cumbers, my intention is to give practical directions for 

 a supply of cucumbers, say from March till November, 

 by such means, as well as to make some remarks on 

 their midwinter growth in cucumber-houses heated by 

 hot-water pipes. I may, however, remark, that it is not 

 desired to communicate any information that might be 

 the cause of inducing any to provide at this period of 

 gardening practice and appliances nothing better than 

 dung-heated pits for the growth of cucumbers from 

 October till the end of June ; for although I and many 

 more have bridged this period of the year with cucum- 

 bers by means of fermenting materials alone, it cannot 

 now be regarded in any other light than one of the best 

 illustrg-tions of being " penny wise and pound foolish." 



THE SEED-BED. 



It is, then, supposed that cucumbers are desired in 

 early spring, say March. As the iirst step in the pro- 

 cess, it is necessary to get a quantity of stable-litter, 



