CULTURE OF CUCUMBERS. 
15 
the ball entire, or form plants for the boxes. The soil should not be 
pressed down, but as it settles, the roots will soon appear at the sur¬ 
face, when some more soil may be put over them. Water must be 
regularly supplied, as the surface of the mould becomes dry, which 
will very often happen when the plants are bearing. If the Syon- 
free bearer, they should not be stopped until they are twelve or eigh¬ 
teen inches high, as they will show fruit almost at every joint, and 
it is better to get the plants large, for if stopped too much when 
joining, the plants will not be so fine. They should likewise be of¬ 
ten syringed with warm water, and when the external air is dry, the 
house ought to be steamed gently. This will often invigorate the 
plants very much. Great care should be taken in supporting the 
plants ; trellises ought to be made to fit the boxes, but if not, sticks 
will answer the purpose. The shoots should be tied so as to admit 
the leaves to expand freely to the light, and not to be crowded ; if 
they are, they must be secured in as neat a manner as possible, and 
not by any means take any from the plant, unless decayed, as it is 
very evident every leaf is necessary for the welfare of the plant 
which is growing in a climate not at all congenial to its nature. 
The fruit blossoms should be impregnated as they open, or the fruit 
will not set well. The fruit also is very apt to grow deformed, for it 
will only swell sometimes at the base of the fruit, or else get large at 
the end. When this is the case, a broad piece of bass-matting 
should be tied round the part, and the fruit will soon begin to grow 
at the other extremity. By the beginning of November, some of 
the strongest shoots should be laid into some forty-eight sized pots, for 
a succession to come in January and February. These will soon 
strike root, and should be planted the same as the others. By this 
method of cultivation, we are able to cut cucumber the year round, 
in the gardens at Stowe. 
Stove Gardens , Bucks, October 2lsg 1833. 
ARTICLE IV.—ON THE CULTURE OF CUCUMBERS. 
BY J. K. S. P. 
] beg to offer a few remarks on the culture of the cucumber. The 
first step is to be taken in the latter end of September, or the begin¬ 
ning of October, which is to have a one light box cleared out, and put 
in some old tan, into which plunge your seed pots, and apply a good 
lining of fresh horse-dung to your box. When the heat is up, sow 
your seeds, and put them into the box. In the course of a few days. 
