THE 
GARDEN YARD 316 
experienced. Make upa hot-bed precisely the same asfor 
Ridge Cucumbers. Fill as many 60s pots as are needed 
half-full of prepared soil after covering the drainage hole 
with broken china. Put one seed of Telegraph Cucumber 
on the soil in each pot, fill half the remaining space with 
soil and press down with the bottom of a pot. The 
soil should be of a nice dampness when used, as the 
seeds are better unwatered; the pots, if new, should be 
soaked in water before use. Cover up close and keep 
mats on until seed is up, then only mat at night. Give 
no air, water with tepid water as required, shade from 
strong midday sun and keep interior of frame moist by 
dewing over early each morning. Give the plants room 
for the leaves to spread. As frames are emptied of 
the tomatoes and ridge cucumbers, without waiting for 
all of them, fork them over lightly and raise slightly in 
centre; on this mound put half a bushel of prepared soil, 
which should consist mainly of chopped sod with the 
grass removed, a little decayed manure, and a little finely 
sifted burnt earth or old mortar rubbish. Cover up 
close for a day or two for the sun to warm the soil, and 
then put two plants in the middle of the light, about 6 
in. apart. Pinch out the centres, allowing only one 
shoot to grow from each plant. These should be taken 
from one plant upwards and the other downwards in 
the frame. Keep the growth thin; remove old leaves, 
one now and then; avoid overcrowding; if this seems 
likely, cut some of the shoots right out. Keep the 
frame moist, give plenty of tepid water, whiten about 
half the glass in the centre and splash the remainder. 
