The Illustrated Guide for Amateur Gardeners. 
Cucumber. 
Cultivation in the Frame or House. — Although a convenient system 
of growing Cucumbers in well-arranged, so-called Cucumber houses has ably superseded 
the old system of frame culture, the latter is nevertheless a most ready and convenient 
means for those to follow who do not possess the better aid. To prooeed, in regard to 
frame culture, the first study must be to collect and prepare a proper quantity of 
fermenting materials whereon to grow them. It has become a common practice to 
procure plants from some neighbour who possesses a permanent house, because, where this 
is practicable, it saves a great amount of labour and anxiety, as when the plants are 
thus ready, the bed can be made up whereon to plant them permanently, and a very early 
advance is possible. When no such aid is procurable, and it is necessary for the grower 
to raise his own seedlings, then materials consisting of stable manure, or straw and 
sweepings (if possible formed of wlieaten straw) and fallen tree-leaves in equal parts, 
should be collected in January, well mixed together, and permitted to ferment for a day 
or two. They must then be turned over and well shaken up together, and again be 
permitted to fermeut ; when they become moderately sweet by the aid of this process, 
a small or temporary bed may be made up to suit a small frame. The bed should not be 
less than five feet in height, and a foot wider than the frame on all sides around. Sow 
the seeds in a moderately small pot, and place them therein, endeavouring with a little 
air constantly on to get the heat to a stationary mean of seventy or seventy-five degrees onty. 
So soon as the seedlings are up, and commence forming the rough or third leaf, pot them 
off into sixty-sized pots, in warm, rich soil. Place two plants into each pot, slightly 
burying the stalks in so doing, and so fix them that they be one on either side of the pot, 
and at its distant sides. Now make up a large or more permanent bed, fitting for the 
permanent frame it is intended to grow and fruit them in. The depth and extent 
beyond the frame must be similar, but if anything rather deeper — the back of the 
bed to be always one foot higher than the front. Mounds of soil must be placed 
therein, so soon as the heat is seen to rise freely, consisting of rich free loam two 
parts, and decomposed leaf mould and thoroughly decayed manure together one part. 
Turn the plants out upon the apex of each mound, and there should be one mound 
under each light, so soon as it is ascertained that the heat within them does not 
exceed eighty-five to ninety degrees. To promote a healthy growth, plenty of air 
should be given on fine warm days; but only in proportion so as not to reduce the 
mean temperature below sixty-five degrees, to sustain which free coatings of fresh and 
sweet fermenting materials must be occasionally supplied, at one or either of the sides, 
and in succession, after removing sufficient of the old and spent dung to make way for 
it. In watering, cold water should never be used, but should be allowed to stand in the 
frame until it becomes tepid, or otherwise be prepared for the purpose. 
Daniels’ Masterpiece, Daniels’ Duke of Edinburgh, Daniels’ 
Duke of Albany, Daniels’ Defiance, and Daniels’ Improved Telegraph, 
all superb varieties, are the very best kinds that can be grown for exhibition, market 
and general use. 
Cultivation in the Open Air. — “ Ridge ” varieties alone should be grown 
out of doors. These consist of a shorter-fruited, hardier form of the same. The seeds 
should be sown early in the month of April, and in moderate warmth, and so soon as they 
show the rough leaf, they also must be potted off into four inch pots, three in a pot, in 
a free, rich, loamy soil. Shade them for a day or two subsequently, and keep them up 
close to the glass to ensure their being stiff and sturdy. Towards the end of April, or 
during the first week in May, select a warm sunny situation, a south-west aspect is best, 
and dig out a trench about eighteen inches deep and three feet wide, and fill it with 
warm, fermenting materials, to about one foot above the ordinary ground level, then 
cover with about nine inches of rich new soil. In a few days the plants previously 
prepared may be turned out thereinto, and covered over with handglasses, &o., when 
they should have a gentle watering with tepid water, and be shaded for a few days, 
and until the plants are established. Plant out three plants under each handliglit, and 
do not plant any wider than five feet apart. As the plants grow, and are seen to fill the 
handlights, more and more air must be given, until the plants become moderately inured 
to the full outer air, at which time elevate the handlights, so that the young, growing 
shoots find their way from under them, and commence to ramble away freely, when the 
handlights may, towards the latter part of June, be removed altogether. Where these simple facilities do not exist, they may be 
easily raised on a warm sheltered border, under a handliglit alone, towards the end of April, or the first week in May. The ground 
should bo liberally manured, and well dug up and “worked” for their reception, and the plants may be planted out under handlights 
about May 30th. Shade or protect them for a few days, and until the plants are established ; during dry weather give plenty of liquid 
manure. Cucumbers sometimes succeed well so grown, and we have occasionally seen moderately good produce of the kind grown 
from seeds placed under the handlights, following such simple preparation of the soil as we have suggested. 
Daniels’ Perfection Ridge is a great improvement on the old Stockwood, and the best for ridge cultivation, being most 
prolific, and of extra fine quality. 
Sowing in the Open Air. — A good crop of Cucumbers can sometimes be obtained by sowing the seed in well prepared 
ground in the open air. Sow in the first or second week in June in drill rows, six feet apart, and thin out the plants to eighteen 
inches apart in the row; give a liberal supply of water in dry weather. In a favourable season good crops can be produced in this way ; 
they will grow rapidly, and produce abundance of fruit. 
EVIDENCE OP QUALITY. 
“I must tell you that your Defiance Cucumber is certainly the best I ever grew. From a Is. fid. Packet 
I grew close upon 500 Marketable Fruit, and they averaged 5s. per doz. I shall send the best hamper to Colchester 
on Friday. I took First Prize at a Local Show. You will no doubt have some orders for it shortly.” — 
Mr. F. ELLIOTT, Tollesbury. 
