CUCUMBER GROWING FOR THE MARKET. 



185 



As soon as the pit has become sufficiently heated, the seed is 

 put into a pan of water, in which it is allowed to steep for 24 

 hours ; after which it is sown in pans of two inches deep, in dark 

 coloured mould of a light nature, fresh from a pasture which 

 has been under grass for many years. As soon as the plants are 

 up and the seed leaves separated, they are potted off into 4-inch 

 pots, using the same mould as before with a bit of turf for drain- 

 age. Two plants are put into each pot, placing the plants in 

 the pit east and west, and no water is given for three or four 

 days, in order to prevent the tender stems from damping off. 

 Air is given day and night both back and front, and the heat is 

 kept up at night to 65° and by day to 70°. The plants are 

 shifted right round every three or four days, and they are wa- 

 tered when required with soft tepid water. 



As the plants only remain in the nursery bed for about three 

 weeks, the large pits should be prepared for their reception by 

 the expiration of that time. This is effected by lime washing 

 their insides, hunting out all woodlice, and by covering the 

 pipes which traverse the middle of each pit at the bottom for 

 bottom heat with a layer of oak faggots ; putting some rough dung 

 or straw over the sticks to keep the mould from mixing with the 

 faggots. The mould, rough from the fields, is put in, so as to 

 form a ridge in the centre of the pit to the depth of at least 16 

 inches, leaving the top of the mould about 2 feet from the trellis. 

 The fire is lighted at least six days before the plants are put 

 out ; there being four dozen lights to one fire, and consequently 

 much cold water and mould to heat. As soon as the mould is 

 heated through, the plants are planted out immediately under 

 the centre of each light, inserting them in the mould up to the 

 seed leaf, and placing a stick to each plant reaching the trellis. 

 The latter is formed by a strong stick under each rafter, and by 

 hazel rods about 4 feet long, placed 5 or 6 inches apart. As 

 soon as the plants reach the trellis their heads are nipped off. 

 Saddles on the pipes made of zinc are kept full of water, and the 

 plants are frequently watered with diluted dung-water in a tepid 

 state. Plenty of air is given, and the heat is kept up by day to 

 70\ and by night to 65 J . The shoot is pinched off at the fruit, 

 and not at the joint above the fruit, as is the practice with many, 

 and by this mode the frame does not get so full of useless vines. 

 Keep the male blossoms cleared off at all times, and after the 

 plants come into hard bearing every encouragement must be 

 given them, administering manure water freely. We have 100 

 lights, which require a great deal of tepid water up to the middle 

 of June. 



Our plants are generally in September just as healthy as ever, 

 even after cutting three times a week all the summer, and then 



