The soil recommended by Nicol is composed of three fourths light rich black earth from pasture land ; an eighth part vegetable mould from decayed. tree leaves ; and an eighth part well-rotted cow-house dung.
For the early crops, the seed is sown about the end of December or beginning of January, on a small hot-bed, co vered with a one-light frame. Where there is the conve, niency of a stove, this seed-bed is sometimes dispensed with. Seed which is several years old is preferred, being less apt to produce exuberant shoots than what is recent. The plants soon rise, and the seedlings are transferred from this seed-bed to a larger or two-light frame, which serves as a nursery. Here great care is necessary to the giving of air, in order to strengthen the plants, and prevent them from drawing up weak ; at the same time, too free access of cold air would probably kill them. When the seed leaves are about half an inch broad, some of the best plants are pricked into small pots, generally three into each pot, the pots having been previously filled with light rich earth, and sunk into the bed to acquire equal temperature. The plants not potted are pricked out on the surface of the bed, at such a distance from each other, as to permit the lifting of each with a small ball of earth at the time of final trans planting. Less or more water is given, according to the state of the weather, and the warmth of the beds.
The young plants are stopped at the first joint. This operation consists in pinching off closely the runner-bud which springs from the axilla of the second rough leaf: it is best performed when the end of the shoot is little bigger than a large pin's head. In this way a stronger and more compact growth is promoted, and the emission of fruitful lateral runners is Secured. When the plants have formed one joint, and when the first two rough leaves are from two to three inches broad, which is generally the case in a month, they arc ready for final transplanting, ur ridging out, as it is technically called. There must now be in readiness a fruiting hot-bed, or several beds, covered with two-light or three-light frames. As in the
case of melons, a small hillock of earth, somewhat less than a foot high, is formed under the centre of each light, the rest of the bed being covered only to the depth of two or three inches. Into these beds, when of a proper tem perature, the plants in pots are placed, preserving the ball of earth entire about the roots ; in general, three plants are set in the middle of each hillock. If the plants have not been potted, they are transferred with as much soil ad hering to them as may be. The frames are covered with mats at night, which are taken off through the day. Air is given by tilting the upper end of the glass cover, more or less, according to the state of the weather, and of the hot-bed. In a dry season, water is regularly given ; and when the heat of the bed declines, linings are applied. As the plants advance in growth, the other parts of the sur face of the bed are filled up nearly to an equality with the hillocks. In July, the nightly covering of mats is omit ted, and the glass covers are drawn fully off through the day.
When the blossoms appear, some of the male flowers are shaken over the female, as in the case of the melon. So certainly efficacious is this operation, that it is called setting the fruit. When cucumbet's are grown in drills in the open ground, the impregnation is entrusted entirely to the agen cy of the winds and of insects.
The subsequent management of cucumbers consists chiefly in admitting air as freely as the state of the wea ther will permit, and in affording liberal hut judicious sup plies of water, generally avoiding the foliage ; although a sprinkling upon the leaves appears not to be disadvantage ous, for we know that cucumbers thrive better in a moist than in a dry heat ; and if the red spicier appear, water is the remedy.
Sometimes a crop of cucumbers is raised by means of hand-glasses, placed upon cavities containing hot dung. Instead of hand-glasses, oiled paper covers are occasionally used : these remain night and day till the middle of June, and in general answer very well, all danger of frost being then over.