120 "^HE KITCHEN GARDEN. [Feb. 
heat declines; therefore, when the heat of the bed begins to decrease 
much, let a lining of the best hot dung be applied in due time to 
the back or front of the bed, or to both if the heat is very much 
declined. The dung for this purpose should be prepared in the 
same manner as that for making the bed. Remember, that if there 
was a lining of dry litter laid around the sides of the bed, to defend 
it from wet, &c. as before directed, this must first be removed 
before you apply the lining; then line the sides of the bed about 
from twelve to fifteen or eighteen inches wide, according as the 
heat is less or more declined, which should be raised about four or 
five inches higher than the dung of the bed, to allow for settling: 
lay some earth on the top of the lining, to keep the rank steam of 
the fresh dung from coming up that way; which, if it did, would 
be apt to enter the frame at the place where the lights are raised 
to admit air, and prove of bad consequence to the plants. 
(Jf stopping or topping the above Plants. 
The young plants, both cucumbers and melons, should be stopped 
or topped, if not done before, at the first joint, by pruning oft' the 
top of the first runner-bud; which is necessary to promote a stocky 
growth, and cause them to put forth lateral shoots at the first and 
second joints, to form fruitful runners; and from these, others of 
the same nature will be produced. 
This operation should be performed when the plants have two 
rough leaves, and when the second is about an inch broad, having 
the first runner-bud rising at its base; the sooner this is detached 
the sooner the plants acquire strength, and put out fruitful runners. 
It is to be done in the following manner: 
You will see arising, in the centre of the plant, at the bottom of 
the second rough leaf, the end of the first runner, like a small bud; 
which bud or runner being the advancing top of the plant, is now 
to be taken off close, and may be done either with the point of a 
penknife or small scissors, or pinched off carefully with the finger 
and thumb; but which ever way you take it off, be careful not to go 
so close as to wound the joint from whence it proceeds. 
Having thus pruned or stopped the plants at the first joint, they 
will by that means very quickly get strength, as will plainly appear 
in a few days; and, in about a week, or ten or twelve days after being 
thus treated, will each begin to send forth two or three runners; 
which runners will probably show fruit at their first, second, or 
third joints; for if the main or first runner was not to be stopped 
as above, it would perhaps run half a yard or two feet in length, 
without putting out more runners to fill the frame, or probably 
without showing a single fruit; for it is upon these lateral shoots 
or runners, produced after stopping the plants, that you may expect 
fruit to appear in any tolerable time in the season: but let it be also 
observed, that when the said lateral shoots have three joints, and 
that if any of them do not then show fruit at either of these, it 
will be proper to pinch off the top of such shoots at the third 
joint, which will promote their putting forth a supply of two or 
