CUCUMBEES. 69 



rows, or ■when about a foot long, an application of 200 

 pounds per acre of nitrate of soda should be used. 

 Where this crop is irrigated early plantings are frequently 

 made, the seed being sown in drills five or six feet apart 

 and protected from frost by two ten-inch planks nailed to- 

 gether and turned over the plants dumg cold nights. If 

 however cold weather should be encountered, the crop will 

 never amount to much, as they never recover from a se- 

 vere set back. Large sums of money, however, have been 

 made on these early protected plantings^ but the expense 

 is rarely ever justified, except where irrigation is used, 

 and a maxium crop is made. 



Vaeieties. 



Livingston Extra Early White Spine and Early Fort- 

 une, are the two varieties to be recommended, as these 

 hold their dark green color, and are early heavy bearers. 

 When the fruit is six to eight inches long, they should be 

 picked and packed in bushel hampers, discarding all that 

 are deformed and too old. They are heavy bearers, and 

 in some cases 1,000 bushels or over have been grown on 

 an acre. 



