CUCUMBEES. 67 



CUCUMBERS. 



This is a crop now grown very largely in the South, 

 for the Northern markets. It is a crop that contains over 

 90 per cent, water, and is most successfully grown with 

 irrigation. In the absence of irrigation, a low dark soil 

 should be selected, rich in vegetable matter, and well 

 drained. Muck lands are admirably adopted to cucum- 

 bers. This plant is more sensitive to frost perhaps than 

 any other vegetable, and a few cold nights where there is 

 only slight frost often ruins the crop. And if there is 

 cold weather enough to take the green color out of the 

 leaves, it will pay to plant over. For this reason it pays 

 to protect this crop aganst frost by using covers on cold 

 nights. If frost protection is used, a good distance is 

 6 by 3 feet, leaving two stalks to each hill. If low land 

 be used, which is to be recommended in all cases where 

 not irrigated, land should be thrown up in six-foot beds 

 with turning plow, the top of the beds fertlized, and the 

 seed planted three feet apart. Select a warm spell, when 

 the ground has begun to get warm, and make ^ slight im- 

 pression with the toe of the shoe. Drop in five or six 

 seed, and cover just enough to hide the seed. Then press 

 firmly with the toe of the shoe. Presuming that you have 

 sufiicient moisture, and the ground is warm, your cukes 

 will be up in four days. If ground is not sufficently 

 warm to germinate the seed at once they will rot, and 

 must be planted over. They are rapid growers after the 

 weather gets warm. Just before the vines meet in the 



