11 



CHAPTER II. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF CUCUMBERS ON COMMON 

 DUNG BEDS "WITH ORDINARY FRAMES. 



The success of cucumbers grown in hot-bed 

 frames, depends greatly on well preparing the 

 dung, before making it into a bed ; for if the 

 dung be not properly prepared, the air of the 

 bed will be impure, which is greatly prejudicial 

 to the growth of so tender an exotic as the 

 cucumber. It is evident that this preparation 

 must take place before the bed is formed, as 

 afterwards it cannot be disturbed ; and unless 

 the manure has been properly prepared, it will, 

 when formed into a bed, ferment to w r hat is 

 termed a burning heat, and it will afterwards 

 become dry and mouldy, to w 7 ithin a few inches 

 of its surface, from which a noxious vapour will 

 arise, to the certain destruction of the plants, in 



