262 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



frame, a little fermenting material, such as litter and 

 short grass or leaves, and glass lights, can have little 

 difficulty in rearing them in summer in almost any 

 district ; while in the south the ridge varieties do well 

 in the open air the same as vegetable marrows or 

 pumpkins. And, without adverting to the undesirable- 

 ness of attempting to supply cucumbers throughout 

 the dull winter months in dung-pits, I will now 

 offer some remarks on their winter management in 

 cucumber- houses or stoves heated by hot water. 



WINTER CUCUMBERS. 



Experienced gardeners know very well ,that, wherever 

 sufficient space can be afiTorded in such as a fruiting pine- 

 stove where a high temperature is necessary, there is no 

 great difficulty in keeping a tolerably good supply of cu- 

 cumbers in pots throughout the winter. I am, however, 

 not going to recommend their being mixed up with pines 

 or anything else : although circumstances can be modified 

 to suit diff'erent subjects, such is not desirable. And 

 now, where there is a demand for cucumbers all through 

 the winter, there is generally a house or pit specially 

 for that purpose. As in the case of the winter- forcing 

 of the vine or any other plant in midwinter, a lean-to 

 house facing due south, with a white back-wall and 

 white-painted woodwork and clear sheet-glass, is the 

 best. And the greatest amount of sun and light that 

 can be had is perhaps of more importance in the case 

 of winter cucumbers than any other crop. 



