GROWING AND MARKETING CUCUMBERS 
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 
cucumber 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 
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 until the crop is laid by. Keep the cucumbers 
picked off as fast as they reach the size desired, as if any are 
allowed 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. 
DDT CAUTION. Do not dust or spray using DDT on beans, 
cucumbers, cantaloupes, or watermelons. Use Marlate for control 
of beetles and a good nicotine dust for aphis. 
Marketer is ‘'The'’ slicing cucumber 
24 D. V. Burrell Seed Growers Co., Rocky Ford, Colo. 
