86 THE GARDEXER* [jAX. 



all smooth. Observe that the shanks of the plants are 

 to go so deeply down into the pot as to leave the seed- 

 leaves but a very little above the level of the earth 

 in the pot. The earth will come out of the heap to 

 fill the pots with ; and a very small part of it will suf- 

 fice. You will now draw the earfli from the sides of 

 the frame towards the middle of the bed, and having 

 formed it into a broader heap than before put the pots 

 down into the mould up to the rim. taking care that 

 they stand perfectly level, and taking care also the 

 tops of the plants do not stand too far from the glass; 

 for that would cause them to be drawn up and be 

 made weak. About six inches from the glass is quite 

 enouc^h. I am supposing that your first cucumber 

 bed. for the producing of fruit, is to have four lights. 

 You will therefore want but four pots of plants, but it 

 will be better to have double the number; the super- 

 numeraries cost nothing, and they may save a neigh- 

 bour the trouble of making a seed bed.''* 



Having thus put the plants safely to bed, I must 

 leave them there for the present, and go on with the 

 remaining operations of the month, merely remarking 

 on the general subject at present, that for both melons 

 and cucumbers a lining of fermenting dung will be re- 

 quired if the internal heat has subsided too much, but 

 a lower degree of temperature as well as a lighter 

 soil will answer for cucumbers than is requisite for 

 melons. 



Seakale is one of the delicacies of this month, and 

 may be regularly forced and blanched until the natu- 

 ral season arrives, by placing over the plants (^around 

 which coal ashes, tan. or sand, has been previously 

 put) forchig pots covered up vvith fermenting" stable 

 dung, which should be renewed when necessary ; or 

 putting plants in boxes or pots into a dark cellar 



• Cobbett. 



