58 



ON THE GROWTH OF THE CUCUMBER 



and cannot well be overcharged ; especially if a 

 quantity of the turfy peat soil, without any other 

 drainage, be placed at the bottom of each pot 

 on the occasion of the second potting off. The 

 plants should present a dewy moisture when the 

 bed is uncovered in the morning, otherwise there 

 will be something wrong; possibly too much 

 top heat, which causes a dry husky appearance, 

 especially so if short of bottom heat, or of water. 

 Care should be taken to get the bed ready for 

 the reception of the plants by the time their 

 roots have filled the pots ; it being much more 

 important to their well-doing than is generally 

 imagined, that they should not remain in the 

 pots so long as to occasion them to become 

 much matted ; which would cause them to 

 suffer greatly when planted out, as the greater 

 portion of matted roots perish after they are 

 transplanted. 



Transplanting is the next process in rotation ; 

 that is, the putting of the plants into the pit 

 where they are to grow and bear. Holes should 



