288 



The Cucurbits 



mist. Use a short extension-rod and an upturned nozzle 

 so as to liit tlie underside of the leaves. 



Gaeden springtail (Sminthiirus hortemis) . — Adult cucum- 

 ber plants are often badly injured, especially' in the South, 

 by a minute wingless jumping insect about 1/20 in, in length. 

 It is dark purple, spotted with yellow. Control: Dust the 

 plants with tobacco dust or air-slaked lime when they first 

 come up and repeat the application in about a week if the 

 insects are still present. 



The cucumber is a staple garden and truck crop, of easy 

 culture when the simple conditions are met and the diseases 

 and pests are avoided or under control. In general prac- 



tice, the seeds are planted directly where the crop is to 

 mature, but early and choice crops are grown from plants 

 started in frames or forcing-houses on inverted sods or 

 turves, in berry boxes that soon decay, in pots or in knock- 

 do^vn boxes. Cucumber is a prime forcing crop for winter 

 and spring; for amateur work, the English forcing varie- 

 ties may be used, but the White Spine type is mostly grown 

 under glass for market in this country. 

 • Stages in the cucumber plant are shown in Figs. 165, 

 166, 167. In the last figure, a fruit is sho^^^l and also 

 staminate (or male) flowers, which in the field are more 

 numerous than the pistillate (or fertile) flowers. 



165. Seeds of cucumber 

 (X 1 2/3). 



166. Young cucumber plants (X about %). 



