260 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



the top early on the afternoons of hright days, and 

 discharge a few syringefuls of warm water round the 

 walls and over the surface of the soil, but miss the 

 plants. Then shut the pit entirely till covering-up 

 time, when a chink of air should be put on for the 

 night in case there should be any unwholesome gas 

 from the dung, and also to prevent a weakly growth. 

 They will commence to grow rapidly in eight or ten 

 days after they are planted, and when uncovered in 

 the morning dew-drops will be seen round the edges 

 of the leaves, and white thread-like roots will soon 

 appear on the surface of the soil in the pots. Pinch 

 the top off each plant as soon as it gets to within 2 

 inches of the trellis, after which they will soon force 

 a lateral growth at nearly every joint. These laterals 

 should be all removed except the three at the top of 

 each plant. As they expand their leaves and establish 

 themselves above the trellis, remove by degrees those 

 that are below it, and stop the three top growths at 

 the second joint, and afterwards at every joint. 



Should the middle of March prove mild, do not let 

 the night temperature exceed 75°, with at aU times a 

 small amount of air on all night. Increase the air in 

 the morning as soon as the heat reaches 80°, and con- 

 tinue to take every opportunity afforded by sunny 

 weather of shutting up early in the afternoon with a 

 moist atmosphere, so that the temperature may run up 

 to 90° for an hour or two. After a sunny parching 

 day, such practice wonderfully refreshes the plants. 

 Always be watchful that they never receive a check 

 from becoming too dry at the roots, for the cucumber, 

 after it gets into full growth, with its immense surface 

 of active leaves, requires a good supply of water. The 

 surface of the bed in the bottom of the pot is not so 



