cue 
-from feeds, which is 'done by the mixing of the fa- ] 
fina of different flowers into each other. 
When the fruit of the Cucumbers are thus fairly fet, 
if the bed is of a proper temperature of warmth, 
they will foon fwel], and become fit for ufe j fo all that 
is neceffary to be obferved, is to water the plants pro- 
perly, which fhould be done by fprinkling the water 
all over the bed, for the roots of the plants will ex- 
tend. themfelves to the fide of the bed ; therefore 
thole who are inclined to continue thefe plants as long 
as poffible in vigour, fhould add a fufficient thick- 
nek of dung and earth all round the fides of the 
beds, fo as to enlarge them to near double their firft 
width ; this will fupply nourifhment to the roots of 
the plants, whereby they may be continued fruitful 
great part of the fummer ; whereas, when this is not 
praftifed, the roots of the plants, when they have 
reached the fide of the beds, are dried by the wind 
and fun, fo that the plants languifh and decay long- 
before their time. 
' hofe gardeners who are fond of producing early 
Cucumbers, generally leave two or three of their 
early fruit, which are fituated upon the main ftem of 
the plant near the root, for feed ; which, when fully 
ripe, they carefully fave to a proper age for fowing, 
and by this method they find a great improvement is 
made of the feed-, and this they always ufe for their 
early crops only, for the fucceeding crops do not de- 
ferve fo much care and attention. 
I have here only mentioned the method of raifing the 
young Cucumber plants in ftoves ; for as thefe con- 
veniencies are now pretty generally made in the curi- 
ous kitchen-gardens in mod parts of England, this 
method may be more univerfally praftifed ; but in 
fuch gardens where there are no ftoves, the feeds 
fliould be fawn upon a well prepared hot-bed : and 
here it will be the belt way to fow the feeds in fmall 
halfpenny pots, becaufe thefe may be eafily removed 
from one bed to another, if the heat fhould decline ; 
or, on the contrary, if the heat fhould be too great, 
the pots may be raifed up, which will prevent the 
feed or the young plants from being injured thereby. 
When the plants are come up as was before directed, 
there fliould be a frefh hot-bed prepared, with a fuf- 
ficient number of halfpenny pots plunged therein 
ready to receive the plants, which muft be planted 
into them in the fame manner as was before direfled, 
and the after-management of the plants muft be near- 
ly the fame ; but as the fleam of the hot-bed fre- 
quently occafions great damps, there muft be great 
care to turn and wipe the glafles frequently, to pre- 
vent the condenfed moifture falling on the plants, 
which is very deftru&ive to them. There muft alfo 
be great attention to the admitting frefh air at all pro- 
per times, as alfo to be careful in keeping the bed to 
a proper temperature of heat ; for as there is a want 
of fire to warm the air, that muft be fupplied by the 
heat of dung, afterward thefe plants muft be ridged 
out in the fame manner as before direded. 
If the bed is of a good temper for heat, your 
plants will take root in lefs than twenty-four hours ; 
after which time you muft be careful to let in a little 
air at fuch times when the weather will permit, as 
alfo to turn the glafles upfide down every day to dry • 
for the fleam of the bed condenfing on the glafles, 
will fall down upon the plants, and be very injurious 
to them therefore whenever the weather is fo bad 
as not to permit the glafles to lie turned long, you 
fhould at leaft turn them once or twice a day, and 
wipe off the moifture with a woollen cloth but you 
muft alfo be very careful how you let in too much 
cold air, which is equally deftrudive to the tender 
plants ; therefore, to avoid this, it is a very good me- 
thod to fallen before the upper fide of the frame, 
where the air is fuffered to enter the bed, a piece of 
coarfe cloth or mat, fo that the air which enters may 
pais through that, which will render it lefs injurious 
to your plants. 
You muft alfo be very cautious in giving water to 
the plants while young and whenever this is done, it 
cue 
mould be fparingly, and the water fliould be placed 
either into a heap of dung, or in feme other warm 
place, for fome time before it is ufed, fo as to be 
nearly of a temperature for warmth with the inclofed 
air of the hot-bed and as the plants advance in 
height, you fliould have a little dry fifted earth always 
ready to earth up their fhanks, which will greatly 
ftrengthen them. You muft alfo be very careful to 
keep up the heat of the bed, which, if you fhould 
find decline, you muft lay a little frefh litter round, 
about the fides of the bed, and alfo keep the glafles 
well covered in the nights, or in bad weather : but if, 
on the other hand, your bed fliould prove too hot, 
you fliould thruft a large flake into the fide of the 
dung, in two or three places, alrnoft to the middle of 
the bed, which will make large holes, through which 
the greateft part of the fleam will pafs off without af- 
cending to the top of the bed and when you find it 
has anfwered your purpofe by flacking the heat of your 
bed, you muft flop them up again with dung. 
Thefe directions, if carefully attended to, will be fuf- 
ficient for raifing the plants in the firft bed : you muft 
therefore, when you perceive the third, or rough 
leaf begin to appear, prepare another heap of frefh 
dung, which fliould be mixed with afhes, as was be- 
fore direded this fliould be in quantity according to 
the number of holes you intend to make. The com- 
mon allowance for ridging out the earlieft plants is, 
one load to each light or hole, fo that the bed will be 
near three feet thick in dung ; but for fuch as are not 
ridged out till March, two loads of dung will be 
fufficient for three holes, for I could never obferve 
any advantage in making thefe beds fo thick with 
dung as fome people do < their crops are feldom bet- 
ter, if fo good, as thofe which are of a moderate 
fubftance ; nor are they forwarder, and the fruit is 
rarely fo fair, nor do the Vines continue fo long in 
health. 
In making thefe beds, you muft carefully mix the 
dung, (halting it well with the fork, fo as not to leave 
any clods of dung unfeparated, as alfo to beat it down 
pretty clofe, to prevent the fleam from rifing too haft 
tily ; you muft alfo be careful to lay it very even, and 
to beat or prefs down the dung equally in every part 
of the bed, otherwile it will fettle in holes, which will 
be very hurtful. When you finifh laying the dung, 
you muft make a hole exaCtly in the middle of each 
light, about a foot deep, and eight or nine inches 
over ; thefe holes muft be filled with light frefh earth, 
which fhould be fereened to take out all large ftones, 
clods, &c. laying it up in a hill ; and in the middle 
of each thruft in a flick about eighteen inches long, 
which fhould Hand as a mark to find the exad place 
where the hole is ; then earth the bed all over about 
three inches thick, levelling it fmooth, and afterwards 
fet the frame upon it, covering it with glafles ; but if 
there is any apprehenfion of the dung heating too 
violently, the earth fhould not be laid upon the bed 
until the heat is fomewhat abated, which will be in a 
few days, and then the earth may be laid upon the 
bed by degrees, covering it at firft two inches thick ; 
and a week or ten days after another inch in thick- 
nefs may be laid on, but there fhould be the whole 
thicknefs of earth laid upon the bod before the Vines 
begin to run ; and if this thicknefi? of earth is at laft 
fix or feven inches, the Vines will grow the ftronger fol- 
ks being fo thick ; for if the roots are obferved, they 
will be found to fpread and cover the whole bed as 
much as the Vines extend above ; a nd when the earth 
is very (hallow, or too light, the Vin es will hang their 
leaves every day for want of a fuffick nt depth of earth 
to fupport their roots ; fo that if they are not con- 
ftantly and well watered, they will not have ftrength 
to laft long, nor to produce fair fruit ; and the giving 
them too much water is not fo proper, nor will it an- 
fwer near fo well, as the giving a depth of earth up- 
on the dung. 
In four or five days time your bed will b e in fit ordqr 
to receive your plants, of which you may eafily judge 
by pulling out one of the (licks which w as put in the 
middie 
