FEB.] 



THE GARDENER. 



93 



defective by the interference of the roots, and their 

 perpetual struggles for advancement. Water these 

 plants once or twice gently with rain or pond water 

 warmed either by having been left for twenty-four 

 hours in the frame, or by the adoption of a sufficient 

 quantity of boiling water ; and also those that are in 

 pots sunk in any part of the bed, as a reserve for 

 supplying any failures in the others. Next prepare a 

 lining (which you will have to apply in about a fort- 

 night) to the back, to the height of the frame, laying 

 a board on it close against the frame to prevent the 

 steam* which will soon arise from entering the bed, 

 and another lining (if necessary) in a fortnight after 

 to the front, and afterwards (allowing the same inter- 

 val of time to intervene) to the sides. Keep up the 

 linings as they sink by adding fresh materials to 

 the top ; litter, straw, or mats, will occasionally be 

 required to guard against frosf or east winds, espe- 

 cially at night, but fresh air must be admitted, more 

 or less according to the state of the weather without, 

 and the degree of heat within, by raising the frame 

 either in front or behind (the direction of the wind 

 being considered) , for air as well as strong heat are 

 indispensable to the health and fruitfulness of the 

 cucumber, and light must never be intercepted. The 

 runners are to be encouraged to cover the entire sur- 

 face by pinching (for the finger and thumb should 

 always be used for this operation in preference to the 

 knife, which causes a wound), when they have got 

 three joints from their tops, which makes them throw 

 out side-shoots from each of those joints, ^yhen these 

 new shoots or runners have four complete joints, pinch 

 off the fifth as soon as it appears. By this treatment 



* On the authority of the Gardeners' Chronicle, however, 

 there will be no danger from the rank steam, as long as the 

 condensed water on the sashes is of pure colour. 



