186 



CUCUMBEK GROWING FOR THE MARKET. 



ripening the seed. We have cut on the 15th of April out of 

 48 lights 70 Cucumbers at one cutting, averaging in length 

 from 12 to 16 inches ; and in April this year I cut 320 alto- 

 gether. The quantity of water used during bright sunshine 

 with the plants in full bearing, is about four gallons a- week to 

 each light, and this is always applied by sprinkling every day 

 over head, at half-past 3, or about that time, and then of course 

 the lights are shut down close. The water used is diluted ma- 

 nure water, obtained in the following manner: — Water is thrown 

 upon the fresh dung from the stables, and a tank being at hand, 

 the water drains off and carries in solution the strength of the 

 dung. I mix one gallon of this with three of water that has 

 been exposed to the sun. I never in the height of summer water 

 with cold water, for I am persuaded that half the diseases in 

 Cucumbers arise from watering with cold water from tanks not 

 sufficiently open to the sun and air. 



The admission of air is also a matter of paramount import- 

 ance. I never give air at the front of the pits for this reason, 

 that the moment you admit air in front and back a dry hot cur- 

 rent is produced, which in Cucumber growing above all tilings 

 should be avoided ; but if air is given at the back only, a circu- 

 lation of heated air something after that under the Polmaise 

 system will be maintained. And be it remembered, the older 

 your plants the stronger heat they require. Shading is of course 

 necessary in the first instance, until the plants gather sufficient 

 strength, but it is only half-starved, diseased, and badly rooted 

 plants that require shading all the summer. To preserve them 

 from woodlice, keep four or five toads in each pit, and after the 

 plants have reached the trellises ; the young woodlice among the 

 leaves may be caught by placing small pots full of hay on a 

 ledge under each light. These I examine every day, and by 

 this means find that the woodlice are very much reduced in 

 number. I have paid six shillings a dozen for toads, which 

 shows the value I place upon these commonly despised but really 

 useful animals. 



I have bought all the new Cucumbers advertised, but I may, 

 without fear of contradiction, say that I have never found one 

 so early and so productive as my Black Spine. I have now had 

 it in my possession upwards of fifteen years ; it took prizes at 

 Ipswich in 1831, where it obtained first and second prizes at the 

 same show. In 1834 it took the first prize at Chiswick, and in 

 1836 the first at Barnet. And since then for seven years past 

 it has been the best at the first shows of the Royal South Lon- 

 don Floricultural Society. 



In conclusion, to grow Cucumbers fine and handsome they 

 must be grown upon trellises ; the plants will bear better, con- 



