c u 



ind be careful in this Work not to 

 Murb the Vines too much, nor to 

 bruife or break the Leaves: this 

 digging of the Ground will loofen it, 

 and thereby make it eafy for the 

 Roots of the Plants to itrike into 

 it, as alfo render the Surface of the 

 Earth more agreeable to the Vines 

 that run upon it. After this there 

 will be no farther Care needful, but 

 only to keep them clear from Weeds, 

 and to water them as often as they 

 lhall require, which they will foon 

 mew, by the hanging of their greater 

 Leaves. The Ridges, thus mana- 

 ged, will continue to produce large 

 Quantities of Fruit from June until 

 the Latter-end of Auguft\ after which 

 time the Coldnefs of the Seafon ren- 

 ders them unwholfome, efpecially if 

 the Autumn proves wet. 



From thefe Ridges People com- 

 monly preferve their Cucumbers for 

 Seed, by making choice of two or 

 three of the faireil Fruit upon each 

 Hole, never leaving above one upon 

 a Plant, and that iituated near the 

 Root of it ; for if you leave more, 

 they will weaken the Plant fo much, 

 that your other Fruit will be {mall, 

 and fewer in Number : but thofe 

 Perfons who value themfelves upon 

 producing Cucumbers very early, 

 commonly leave three or four Cu- 

 cumbers of the firft Produce of their 

 earlieft Crop, when the Fruit is fair ; 

 and the Seeds of thefe early Fruit 

 are generally preferr'd to any other 

 for the firft Crop. Thefe lhould re- 

 main upon the Vines until the End 

 of Auguji, that the Seeds may be 

 perfectly ripe ; and when you ga- 

 ther them from the Vines, it will 

 be proper to fet the Fruit in a Row 

 upright againft an Hedge or Wall, 

 where they may remain until the 

 outer Cover begins to decay ; at 

 which time you mould cut them 

 open, and fcrapeout the S^eds, to- 



gether with the Pulp, into a Tub, 

 which mould be afterwards covered 

 with a Board, to prevent the Filth 

 from getting amongftthe Pulp. la 

 this Tub it mould be fufFered to re- 

 main eight or ten Days, obferving 

 to ftir it well with a long Stick to 

 the Bottom every Day, in order to 

 rot the Pulp, that it may be eafily 

 feparated from the Seeds ; then pour 

 fome Water into the Tub, furring 

 it well about, which will raife the 

 Scum to the Top, but the Seeds will 

 fettle to the Bottom ; fo that by two 

 or three times pouring in Water, and 

 afterwards draining it off from the 

 Seeds, they will be perfectly clear 'd 

 from the Pul£; then you mould 

 fpread the Seeds upon a Mat, which 

 lhould be expofed to the open Air 

 three or four Days, until they are 

 perfectly dry, when they may be 

 put up in Bags, and hung up in a 

 dry Place, where Vermin cannot 

 come to them, where they will keep 

 good for feveral Years, but are ge- 

 nerally preferr'd when three or four 

 Years old, a > being apt to produce 

 lefs vigorous, but more fruitful 

 Plants. 



I lhall, in the next place, proceed 

 to give Directions for managing 

 Cucumbers for the laft Crop, or 

 what are generally called Picklers. 



The Seafon for fowing thefe is 

 toward the Latter-end of May, Vvhen 

 the Weather is fettled. The Ground 

 where thefe are commonly fown, 

 is between Cauliflowers, in wide 

 Rows, between which are allow'd 

 four Feet and an half Space when 

 the Cauliflowers were planted. In 

 thefe Rows you fhou'd dig up fquare 

 Holes at about three Feet and an 

 half Diftance from each other, break- 

 ing the Earth well with a Spade, 

 and aftti wards fmoothing and hoU 

 lowing it in the Form of a Bafon 

 with your Hand i then put eight or 



nine 



