315 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO 
MAYLANDS SMALLHOLDERS 
“Ridge Cucumbers. Prepare a good hot-bed as for 
tomato seed, and on the last day of April, sow the cu- 
cumber seed, two together, at 14 in. apart all over the 
bed; cover with soil, press down, do not water, close up 
and cover with mats. The seed will be up in 2 or 3 
days. Give water, plenty of light, but no air; cover 
at night. Have ready a mild hot-bed—the bed the 
lettuces were removed from, if forked over, will prob- 
ably do. As soon as the rough leaves are showing, lift 
each pair of plants gently with a little soil and pot into 
large 60s, burying up to seed leaves. Water as required. 
Harden gradually by end of May, and plant out first 
week in June at 2 ft. apart in rows, and 4 ft. be- 
tween the rows. A bed into which a heavy dressing of 
manure has been dug during the winter will do very 
well. As soon as set out, the plants must be protected 
by some means, such as placing a flower-pot at night over 
each plant, or with paper cones pegged down. It is also 
advisable that hurdles covered with straw be run down 
every 8 or 4 rows to break the wind. If the plants 
are helped in this way for a week or two, they will repay 
it later on. After planting they should be watered, 
and this should be repeated if the weather continues dry. 
Before they begin to run, mulch all down each side of 
the rows with long straw stable manure. Fruit should 
be ready middle of July. 
“For using the frames after the above plants have 
been removed, I recommend Frame Cucumbers. Melons 
would do equally well, but are rather more difficult to 
grow, and I advise cucumbers for a year or two until 
