Jan.] THE FORCING GARDEN. 591^ 



many contrive to cultivate the former of them all the year 

 round. As their general management is so nearly alike, we 

 will continue to detail their culture under the same head. The 

 beginning of this month is a very good time to commence the 

 rearing of these plants for an early crop, but for general pur- 

 poses, the first of February, or even the first of Marcli, will 

 be more suitable. It has been observed by a practical writer 

 upon this subject, that beginning before the first of this month 

 is striving hard against the stream to little purpose. If pre- 

 parations were made the end of December, or the first week in 

 J anuary, so as to sow the seeds by the second or third week in 

 the month, the success will be generally greater than by sowing 

 a month, or even six weeks earlier. But when cucumbers are 

 particularly wanted by a family during all the winter months, 

 then it is much better to cultivate them in large pots or boxes 

 in the pine-stove, or else in a separate department, in which 

 French beans, strawberries, &c., may also be grown with 

 tolerable success during the whole of the winter ; but under 

 common frames or pits, heated only by means of fermenting 

 dung, the chance of success will be precarious. Cucumbers 

 and melons are forced in a variety of ways ; some gardeners 

 preferring common hot-beds, others dung-pits in their difierent 

 modifications, and not a few have of late years grown them in 

 pits heated by steam. 



Many varieties of pits have been recommended in which 

 to grow these plants, that of M'Phail is amongst the most 

 ancient, and has been in very general use, and may be described 

 as consisting of two parts; the frame (a a) and lights (/>), 



