190 , THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. [chap. vi. 
or three-light frame. In this bed, a little 
ridge of earth is made under each light; 
and, in each of these, the contents of a pot 
is planted^ without breaking the ball of earth 
round the roots of the plants. The heat of 
this bed is generally a little higher than that 
of the seed-bed. Water should be given 
every day, warmed to the heat of the bed. 
If the plants are wanted to fruit early, the 
ends of the shoots may be pinched off as 
soon as the plants have made two rough 
leaves, and this is called stopping the run¬ 
ners at the first joint; this stopping is re¬ 
peated wherever the runners show a disposi¬ 
tion to extend themselves without producing 
fruit. As plants raised under glass have not 
the benefit either of currents of air or insects, 
to convey the pollen of the barren plants to 
the stigma of the fertile ones, the latter 
must either be dusted with pollen by the 
gardener, or the plants should be exposed 
as much to the air as possible, in the middle 
of the day, when it is warm enough, during 
the time that they are in flower. Seeds for 
the first crop of cucumbers are generally 
sown in December or January; but, as extra 
