GROWING AND MARKETING CUCUMBERS 
e Growing cucumber seed has had our careful study for over 50 
years. Some years our production of seed has been nearly half of 
that grown in the United States. A very large portion of the cucum- 
ber seed is grown here in the Rocky Ford district and what we 
have to offer is not surpassed in quality. 
Cucumbers thrive best in a very rich, loamy soil, not containing 
too much sand. A rather heavy soil is preferable to sandy soil. If 
available fertilize heavily with barnyard manure, scattered evenly 
over the surface 2 or 3 inches deep, disced thoroughly, plowed 
under, and thoroughly harrowed and floated. If commercial fer- 
tilizer is used, this will vary according to your soil’s needs. Here 
at Rocky Ford 12-24-12 seems best suited to vine crops. 
You can plant with drill rows 3 to 5 feet apart, 3 pounds of seed 
per acre, covering about 1 inch. You can follow the drill mark and 
cultivate before the plants come up. Cultivate often. When the 
i plants have four to six 
leaves thin to one plant 
every 18 inches. Keep 
the cultivator going as 
long as you can get 
through the rows. If 
under irrigation, water 
once a week lightly 
and always cultivate 
between irrigations un- 
til the crop is laid by. 
Keep the cucumbers 
picked off as fast as 
they reach the size de- 
sired, as if any are al- 
lowed to ripen the 
plants cease to set on 
more fruit. 
Always cut off the 
cucumbers and handle 
very carefully. Do not 
ship any culls. Throw 
them away and ship 
only the first - class 
specimens. They look 
so much better — the 
demand is kept up — 
the consumer is willing 
to pay a better price. 
There-is less express 
and package expense 
and your reputation for 
a first-class pack is kept 
up, to the advantage of 
your bank account, 
D. D. T. CAUTION. 
Do not dust or spray 
using D. D. T. on beans, 
cucumbers, canta- 
loupes, or watermelons. 
Use Marlate for con- 
trol of beetles and a 
good nicotine dust for 
aphis. 
Dennis Burrell and a good 
specimen Marketer 
Cucumber 
24 D. V. Burrell Seed Growers Co., Rocky Ford, Colo. 
