56 
AMERICAN KITCHEN GARDENER. 
infusion of elder leaves ; that of hops and of walnut-leaves is likewise ie- 
commended ; or, suspend a diamond-formed piece of white paper, shingle, oi 
other piece of w r ood, by a thread, tied to the end of a stick stuck in the 
ground at a small distance from the hill, so that the paper shall hang directly 
over the hill and near the plants. The air, by constantly vibrating the paper 
or shingle, wflll have a tendency to prevent insects from alighting on the 
plar.ts. The surest way, however, is to inclose the hills with frames cov¬ 
ered with gauze, or other cloth of a light texture. The following method of 
making sieves, or boxes, to protect cucumber vines, melon vines, &c. against 
the yellow 7 bug, &c. was communicated to the editor of the N. E. Farmer by 
Mr. Levi Bartlett, of Warner, N. H., and published in that paper, vol ii, 
p. 305. 
“Take a strip of pine board (about three fourths of an inch in thickness 
is most suitable) eight or ten feet in length, and four or five inches in width 
—plow one edge of it with a carpenter’s plow or match plane—then mark 
off an equal number of side and end pieces ; before sawing the side pieces, 
run a brad-awl through where you want to drive your nails, as it is not so 
likely to split as after it is sawed. The side pieces eleven inches long- 
ends eight inches long. They must be of this particular size, because one 
yard of millinet will just cover nine boxes; or a third of a yard will make 
three covers. After having nailed your boxes, and divided your millinet, 
have some thin strips or tongues, as the carpenters call them. Press these 
w r ith the edges of the covers into the groove, w r hich fastens them much 
cheaper and more expeditiously than small nails. I made about twenty 
last season, and they effectually secured them from the yellow bug, and (by 
sinking the edges of them in the earth a little) from worms. But if they 
were of no use but to guard against insects, they would be worth having, as 
they keep off the cold winds, and greatly promote the growth of the vines 
in the early part of the season. 57 
To save seed .—“ Select some best summer fruit from good, productive 
plants, w 7 hich permit to continue in full growth till they become yellow. 
Then cut them from the vine, and place them upright on end, in the full 
sun, for two or three w 7 ceks, when they may be cut open, and the seed 
washed out from the pulp; spread it to dry and harden; then put it up in 
papers or bags for future sowing. It wall remain good for many years ; and 
seed of three or four years 5 keeping is preferable for early frame crops. 55 — 
Abercrombie. 
Uses .—“ Cucumbers are a salubrious, cooling fruit, and may be safely 
allowed to consumptive patients, as they sweeten acrid humors, at tie same 
time are gently laxative ; but being in a considerable degree acescent, and 
sometimes attended with flatulency and diarrhea, such effects may be pre¬ 
vented by eating them with great moderation, or with the addition of vine¬ 
gar and pepper, which counteract their natural coldnev 5 . If properly pickled 
