removed ; but if it should continue cold, raise the box by setting a block under each corner, and 
let the plants run under. The Fourth of July is the time we always remove the boxes or frames. 
Always pick the fruit as soon as large enough, as allowing 
any to remain to ripen injures the fruiting of the vine. One 
pound of seed is sufficient for an acre. There are not very 
many varieties of hardy Cucumbers. Fig. 1 is Improved 
Long Green, the largest of American sorts, and one of the 
best; fig. 2, Early Frame, a good variety for table, and for 
pickling when small ; fig. 3, Early White Spine, an excel- 
lent sort for table, a great favorite, and forces well ; fig. 4, 
Early Russian, small, very productive, and the earliest of 
all; fig. 5, Early Green Cluster, next in earliness to the 
Russian, generally grows in pairs, quite productive and 
esteemed for pickles. There are very many foreign varie- 
ties of veiy great size and beauty, and of excellent quality, 
and their general appearance is shown in the annexed 
engraving. They range in length from eighteen inches to 
more than two feet, and, when well grown, as straight as an arrow. They are called frame vari- 
eties, because much cultivated in frames or under glass. Some of the hardiest do well in Amer- 
ica, if coaxed a little early in the season under boxes covered with glass, as recommended for 
our hardy sorts. The Long Green Southgate and the Stockwood we have found the best for the 
garden in this latitude, but in the South we have no doubt all would succeed admirably. Some 
persons think because these foreign sorts are large, that they are coarse and scarcely eatable. 
This is a mistake. They are fine-grained and very solid, having very few seeds, sometimes not 
more than half-a-dozen perfect seeds in a fruit. Seed, therefore, is always scarce and dear. 
EGG PLANT. 
A tender plant, requiring starting in the hot-bed pretty early to mature its fruit in the North- 
ern States. The seed may be sown with tomato seed ; but more care is necessary at transplant- 
ing, to prevent the plants being chilled by the 
change, as they seldom fully recover. Hand- 
glasses are useful 
for covering at the 
time of transplant- 
ing. Those who 
have no hot-bed 
can sow a few seeds 
in boxes in the 
house. There are 
various modes of 
cooking, but the 
most common is to 
cut in slices, boil in 
salt and water, and 
then fry in batter or 
butter. There are several varieties, but the largest and best of all is the Improved New York 
Purple, an engraving of which we give. The Early Long Purple is the earliest, and valuable on 
that account, and about eight or nine inches in length. There is an early round variety 
■called Round Purple, and there are several very pretty sorts more ornamental than useful. 
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