ON GROWING CUCUMBERS. 
13 
plete stranger to chemistry, I cannot pretend in the least to say of 
what our’s is composed. If the top spit be laid aside, as for embank¬ 
ments, with the intention of being mixed with the two spits burned 
below, in a few years it will be a little more pliable than it was in 
iis original state ; whereas burning altogether answers well, but I can 
never afterwards obtain more than one good crop of vegetables with¬ 
out manure. In wet seasons, it will be found rather a troublesome 
matter to burn, but the best method is to get a tolerable quantity of 
wood together, in a manner similar to that of Mr. Stafford for burn¬ 
ing clay, and then to cover it up about eighteen inches thick with 
the vegetable matter. Then I always light it the first thing in the 
morning, as it will require regular attention during the day, to pre¬ 
vent the fuel from burning away more in some parts than in others. 
The next morning, though the heap will be considerably sunk, the 
matter will be little wasted. The steam and vapour arising from it, 
will, in a great measure, have subsided, and the matter being raked 
together must be opened with a dung hook, and thrown together 
again ; after which it will begin to waste, and will require little atten¬ 
tion, except putting on a little fuel and more matter till the whole is 
reduced to ashes. Sometimes the heap is on fire for two months, 
when there is much rubbish to be cleared away, and burns better at 
first than when it is fomented. When I am deficient of wood, I use 
/ 
a little slack, but it must be used with discretion, or more may be 
used than is necessary. Where wood cannot be readily obtained, 
slack may be applied with advantage, in burning clay, as it will not 
materially alter its nature if used with moderation ; being used too 
much it becomes brick dust. 
P. S. The great advantage derived from clay burnt by Mr. 
Stafford depends, as I have observed, upon its quality before it 
is burnt, his clay, containing a larger portion of lime than that of 
these gardens, which naturally have little or none, requires for its 
improvement very different treatment. 
Allestrce Gardens , December 1, 1833. 
ARTICLE III.—ON GROWING CUCUMBERS. 
BY MR. J. BROWN, JUN. 
The culture of the cucumber has for years been a stimulant to prac¬ 
tical gardeners, to excel each other in producing the fruit at an early 
season, yet always grown in dung pits and boxes ; but of late years 
a more simple method has been devised, owing to the necessity of 
