86 JOHNSON & STOKES 
soil is strong. At least one shovelful of well-rotted manure 
is dropped in every hill, and mixed with the soil, and a dozen 
seeds planted, to be thinned out finally to three or four 
plants. It is better to have extra plants, on account of the 
attacks of the striped beetle. 
The cucumber belongs to a botanic family which is natu- 
rally tender, and the seeds should not be sown until the soil 
is quite warm. For farm work, the planting season is the 
latter part of May and the whole of June; and even July is a 
suitable month, if the soil can be irrigated. It will require 
two pounds of seed for an acre. 
The variety sown should depend on the purpose in view; 
but in all commercial operations, well-known and thoroughly 
tested sorts should be chosen. Shallow cultivation is recom- 
mended. 
If an early market is to be supplied with cucumbers, the 
seeds may be started under glass, on bits of inverted sod or 
in small boxes, and set in the open ground on the arrival of 
settled warm weather; but the farmer will usually find it 
most profitable to sow the seeds where the plants are to 
remain. 
The most serious enemy of the cucumber vine is the 
striped beetle, which attacks the young plant and frequently 
ruins it. The remedy is air-slaked lime, or soot, or sifted 
coal ashes, or wood ashes diluted with dry road dust. The 
best preventive is salt or kainit, used in the hills. The true 
plan is to have strong, vigorous plants, which, as a rule, will 
resist and outgrow the striped beetle, and be not greatly 
injured by its attacks. There is a blight which sometimes 
destroys the cucumber vine, apparently the result of weak- 
ness following a prolonged drouth. 
The vine of the cucumber must be kept in vigorous 
growth, not only by cultivation and a sufficient water-supply, 
but by care in removing all the fruit as soon as formed, for, 
