FORCING CUCUMBERS. 
123 
season of hot sunny weather. Some use water impregnated 
with sheep or pigeon dung. As the roots begin to spread, 
and the vines to run, the hills should be enlarged by gather- 
ing up the earth around them, for which purpose a supply 
of good mould should be kept ready at hand, to be used as 
required. 
When the plants have made one or two joints, stop them, 
by pinching off the tops, after which they generally put forth 
two shoots, each of which let run till they have made one or 
two clear joints, and then stop them also ; and afterward con- 
tinue throughout the season to stop them at every joint ; this 
will strengthen the plants, and promote their perfecting the 
fruit early. 
The following artificial operation is recommended by 
Abercrombie, Phial, and other writers, as essential to the 
production of a full crop of Cucumbers ' under glass. In 
plants more freely exposed to the open air, the impregnation 
is effected by nature. Those which some call false blossoms 
are the male flowers, and are indispensable in this operation. 
“ The Cucumber,” Abercrombie observes, “ bears male 
and female blossoms distinctly on the same plant. The lat- 
ter only produce the fruit, which appears first in miniature, 
close under the base, even before the flower expands. There 
is never any in the males ; but these are placed in the vici- 
nity of the females, and are absolutely necessary, by the dis- 
persion of their farina, to impregnate the female blossom ; 
the fruit of which will not otherwise swell to its full size, 
and the seed will be abortive. The early plants under glass, 
not having the full current of natural air, nor the assistance 
of bees and other winged insects to convey the farina, the 
artificial aid of the cultivator is necessary to effect the im- 
pregnation. At the time of fructification, watch the plants 
daily ; and as soon as the female flowers and some male 
blossoms are fully expanded, proceed to set the fruit the 
same day, or next morning at farthest. Take off a male 
blossom, detaching it with part of the footstalk. Hold this 
