CULTURE OF THE CUCUMBER IN A DUNG-BED. 



499 



distance it should be from the glass, which may vary from G inches to 9 

 inches. Having determined this point, turn out of the pot, by reversing it, 

 the plant with its ball of earth entire, and, holding the surface of the mould 

 in one hand, and the pot with the other, gently tap the rim against the edge 

 of the frame, when the plant will drop out without losing any portion of the 

 earth, or injurmg the roots, if the pot was properly cleaned previous to its 

 being planted. Then drop the plant into the hole in the hillock, and press 

 the mould firmly round the ball of roots ; the earth of which should be in 

 the same state of moisture as that into which it is to be planted, otherwise 

 it will not properly receive the watering, when poured upon it, as it will 

 require to be once or twice, from a pot without the rose, until the roots 

 extend themselves into the fresh soil ; after which the whole of the hillocks 

 should be watered, from a watering-pot with the rose on, whenever requisite, 

 choosing a fine sunny morning for the watering, that the surface may become 

 moderately dry by the afternoon. The seeds for these plants should be sown 

 on the 29th of September, and the plants should be ridged out on the 1st of 

 November. — (Mills's Treatise, S^c, p. 26.) 



1058. A temporary lining, as directed for the seed-bed, should now be 

 applied for the purpose of increasing the heat so as to carry off excessive 

 moisture during the finest portion of every day, by evaporation, but at the 

 same time not to raise a burning heat. 



1059.. Air. — A little air must be given during twenty hours out of the 

 twenty-four, regulated as follows : — When you uncover the bed in the 

 morning, the night air must be taken away, as the external air coming in 

 contact with the glass will cause a depression of the internal heat, but the 

 closing down the lights will sufficiently counteract its bad effects. Should 

 the heat of the bed be low, and an increased warmth be requisite, let the 

 unoccupied surface of the bed be forked over, about 6 inches or 8 inches 

 deep, either back or front, and from this a fine steam will arise, which will 

 be greatly beneficial to the plants ; and, when air is afterwards given, it will 

 materially assist in drying them, which, as before remarked (1058), is 

 necessary to be done, if possible, during the day. In an hour or two after 

 uncovering in the morning, let a little air be given, reference being had to 

 the state of the weather ; and again let it be gradually increased, after the 

 lapse of a similar period, up to twelve o'clock in the day. About one, lower 

 in part ; and at three or four o'clock shut down till six, when you should 

 again give air, the heat then should be about 70°, and the plants dry. At 

 eight or nine regulate for the night, according to the heat, and so let it 

 remain untU the next morning, unless there should be a sudden change in 

 the weather, when the lights may be shut down. — (^Ihid. p. 29.) 



1060. Earthing up. — The hills of earth being small, every part of them 

 will be filled by the roots in the course of a week or ten days, and the roots 

 will show themselves on the surface. They should therefore be covered 

 with about two inches of fresh soil, previously warmed to the temperature 

 of the bed, by being spread out on the parts not occupied by the hills. The 

 linings must be occasionally turned to keep up the heat ; and when the 

 inside of the frame becomes dry it should be sprinkled with water when the 

 air is taken away in the evening, by which a healthy steam will be gene- 

 rated for the plants during the night. When a dry bottom heat prevails, 

 and the dung looks white and mouldy on the surface of the bed, it should 

 be forked over, and watered with water about the same temperature as the 



