a small quantity of hay in the bed, which will answer the purpose of a
trap to collect them, when they may be easily destroyed by boiling
water. Care, however, is necessary in this expedient, for should the
plants have taken root at the side of the box, the hot water will
materially injure them; but if the plants are kept healthy, little
danger is to be apprehended from this description of vermin, as they
always like a sickly stagnated plant to a thriving vigorous one. Mice
are sometimes extremely troublesome, but may be destroyed by procuring
from a Chemist some ground ox vomicae, and applying it in the following
manner. Mix the drug with some water, stir it up well, and let it boil
about ten minutes; take it off the fire and put in some wheat or
cucumber seed, letting it steep for ten or twelve hours; or spread some
ox vomicae not boiled upon bread and fresh butter, place this in the bed
near the holes at which they enter, which will effectually extirpate
them.
With regard to the time of cutting fruit[6] from October sown plants,
much depends upon the weather, some seasons being much finer than
others. Fruit from the October seed has been cut off by the Author as
early as the middle of January, while at another time it has been as
late as the beginning of March; he, however, is well satisfied if it is
ready to cut by the middle of February: indeed, upon an average this may
be fairly considered as the probable time for its mature growth.
It is not advisable in any young beginner to sow seed in November or
December until about the twentieth of the latter month, as plants grown
in that season are very liable to be retarded in their growth, while
those sown from about the twentieth of December to the beginning of
January will grow much stronger and quicker, as they possess the
advantage of the increase of the season. An experienced framer, however,
can grow plants at any time of the year, and from those sown at the
above time, he may expect to cut fruit by the twentieth of March or
towards the latter end of that month, according to the weather; much
depending upon that and the situation of the framing grounds, which
should at all times be open to the sun, and defended from the winds.
FOOTNOTES:
[4] The Author would recommend January-sown plants, after having been
topped at the first joint, to run four joints, then topped again at the
first joint, when they will generally show fruit, and, if properly
attended to, will swell off to seven or eight inches in length, as the
first shows do not come so fine as those afterwards. Do not let more
than one fruit swell upon a plant at a time, as more will cause them to
grow ill-shaped, and not near so fine.
[5] There is no necessity for setting the fruit beyond the latter end of
May, as by that time the bees will find their way to the frames, and
prove equally effective.
[6] The Author has tried several sorts, but at present only makes use of
three kinds of frame cucumber, which he considers preferable to all the
others. One is a long black prickly fruit, with a fine bloom and short
handle, well filled up. It will sometimes grow for table to the length
of fifteen inches, and usually from eleven to twelve. It is an excellent
bearer, but not so well adapted for October sowing as the other two
kinds, from its tender qualities, being thin leaved and less hardy: it
is, however, a very good sort for January and spring sowing. The other
two kinds very much resemble each other, and will frequently grow to the
length of twelve inches, filled up in the handle, black, prickly, and
carry a good bloom. Their usual dimensions are from eight to ten inches;
being thick-leaved and particularly hardy. Both these are well
calculated for the October bed, and excellent bearers for spring sowing.
The Author obtained them both by impregnating; and those who purchase
the work of him, may be accommodated with a few of the seeds of either
of the above, gratis.
THE SEED-BED FOR JANUARY.
_To be sown in the beginning of the Month._
As this is the season in which Gardeners in general sow seed for
cucumbers, it will be necessary to take notice of a few directions which
vary from the October seed-bed.
At this time of the year young plants are much slower in their growth,
and more difficult to be reared than in October, consequently they
require a stronger bottom bed, though made in the same manner as above
directed. The dung must undergo the same process in working, but should
be six inches higher; it will also require more wrapping and covering,
particularly if the weather is very cold; in this, however, as before,
you must be guided by the temperature of the season; taking care not to
cover too much at first. For the first fortnight a double mat will be
sufficient; and after that, if the weather is intense, increase the
covering, by adding hay to the thickness of six or nine inches, with a
mat over it. Air should be admitted night and day, according to the
state of the weather; but they may be closed down for about an hour,
before covering up, after they are a fortnight old.
The plants should be ridged out young, at least when they are a month
old; but be very particular in having the fruiting-frame perfectly sweet
before they are placed in it, as it is much better to keep them in the
pots a week, or even a fortnight, beyond the time, than to ridge them
out before the bed is in a proper condition.
Be careful in keeping a good heat; in having the lining applied in
proper time; and in well wrapping them up. The lining will be required
when they are three weeks old at the back and front. It should be two
feet wide about half way up the bed, and lined with litter to the width
of six inches, for the purpose of keeping the lining in a proper
condition: wrap it up also within three inches of the top, drawing it in
gradually to about eighteen inches wide. With the exception of the
foregoing directions, the method of treatment must be exactly the same
as given in the Seed-bed for October.
ON THE MANAGEMENT REQUIRED IN THE CULTURE OF THE
Late Cucumber.
The proper time to sow for late cucumbers, that is, such as are grown in
boxes and lights, and have no necessity for linings, is from the middle
of March to the middle of April; and after that time seed may be put in
for the hand-glass.
Those that are sown in the middle of March will require stronger beds
than those sown a fortnight or three weeks afterwards, and should be
made from two feet six inches to three feet high; while the latter will
not require beds higher than two feet.
Let a trench be dug the size of the frame, about eighteen inches deep,
and if the soil is light and rich that is thrown out, the bed may be
formed of it; but if a strong loam it will not answer the purpose.
As soon as the bed is made tread it down well, make it even, and let it
have about six inches fall from the back to the front; then place on the
boxes and light; and when the heat rises, admit from one to two inches
of air. In about a week it will be necessary to put the mould in for the
hills in the proportion of a barrow-full to a light. This must be
levelled about an inch all over the bed to prevent the rank steam from
injuring the plants. On the following day they may be ridged out, when
the mould must be pressed with the hands close down round the roots of
the plants; and water applied, which should be at the same time
sprinkled regularly all over the bed. Add now plenty of air, night and
day, until the bed becomes perfectly sweet, which is generally the case
in about a week; after which they may be shut down at night.
Let the topping be the same as directed for the Seed-bed in October; if
the soil is light and rich, have a bank on the outside about a foot or
eighteen inches wide, and as high, or even higher than the bottom of the
box. This will prove a great support to the plants; be the means of
producing an abundant crop of fruit; and obviate the necessity of
laying; which must otherwise be the case if this plan is not adopted, or
the boxes are unusually large. Should laying, however, be preferred,
great attention must be paid to it, and the same method adopted as
prescribed for the early cucumber.
Particular care is requisite in the culture of the late cucumber to
preserve it from the canker; the best means that can be adopted to
prevent this injury is to keep them thin of vine, and always apply soft
water. This should be given in the morning, or, if not then convenient,
never later than three o'clock in the afternoon, when the vines will
have an opportunity of drying before night: a fine day should always be
taken advantage of for this purpose, which will tend considerably to
accelerate their growth. Admit a double quantity of air for a quarter
of an hour before watering; and while the nights continue cold, be
careful in keeping them covered up. In some seasons, when the weather is
inclement, it will be necessary to observe this even until Midsummer.
By strict attention to the foregoing directions, no danger need be
apprehended from the canker, as it generally proceeds from a cold chill;
suffering the plants to grow too thick of vine, which keeps them
continually moist; and not admitting a sufficient quantity of air
necessary to harden them.
In ridging out the plants, put two in small lights and three in larger
ones; and when the roots appear through the hills, add mould to them;
observing, that they will require moulding up much quicker than those
grown at the early season: in fact, after they have been ridged out
about a fortnight or three weeks, it will be necessary to mould them up
fully.
If the weather is fine, from one to two gallons of water for each light
will be necessary every two or three days.
Keep them pegged and laid about once a fortnight; and be particular also
in having them thin of vine, topped at the first joint; then allowing
them to run four, and afterwards topping them again at the first, as
before mentioned in the January sown plants. By observing these
directions, a good crop of fruit may be ensured, which will be ready to
cut in about a month or five weeks after they have been ridged out.
ON THE MANAGEMENT REQUIRED IN THE CULTURE OF THE
Hand-glass Cucumber.
The best time to sow for the hand-glass cucumber is from the middle of
April to the beginning of May; though they may be sown from the tenth of
April until the middle of May; and the plants may be grown in the early
cucumber or melon beds.
When they are potted off, put three plants in each pot, being particular
in not filling them more than three parts full, as they are very liable
at this time of the year to draw up long in the stem. Merely cover the
roots with mould at first; in the course of two or three days add a
little more; and in about a week fill up the pots to the brim.
It is necessary to give them as much air as possible; and to have them
placed at the back of the bed, as near the glass as convenient. They
must be well supplied with water, and let them be topped at the first
joint.
By this mode of treatment, you may have strong stuggy plants, fit to put
under the hand-glass in three weeks; at all events, they should not be
kept in the pots longer than a month, as there is a probability, if that
time is exceeded, of their being stinted in the growth.
The soil best calculated to ridge them out in, is a light rich earth. If
the soil is of a strong loamy nature, add some leaf mould or rotten dung
to it, and mix it up well together.
Dig a trench about a foot in depth, and three feet wide, and let the bed
be made up about a foot above the level, that is, two feet from the
bottom of the trench; tread it down well, level it, and apply some water
if it is dry; then put the mould on, and let it be dug a spit deep, and
eighteen inches wide on each side of the trench; afterwards put some
dung or leaf mould on, and dig it in. Level the mould down, so that the
bed will be about six feet wide, and nine or ten inches deep, taking
care to leave it a little higher in the middle, where the dung is
placed, in order that the mould may not settle, and become lower in the
centre, which will have a tendency to injure the plants by absorbing the
water, which is most required at the outsides.
It is an excellent plan, if the ground is disengaged two or three months
previous to the time it is wanted for the cucumber bed, to mark it out
six feet wide, and put in six inches of dung or leaf mould, and lay it
up in ridges of two feet six inches in width, and a foot in depth. When
wanted for use, level it down, and dig a trench three feet wide for the
dung, levelling it as before directed. This method, if it can be
conveniently attended to, is certainly preferable to the other, as it
allows an opportunity of incorporating the dung and mould together. If
hot dung cannot be easily obtained, it may be dispensed with, provided
the seed is not sown earlier than the month of May.
Let the ground be ridged up as before directed, and when wanted for use,
level it down; then mark out six feet wide beds for each, and three feet
alleys; afterwards place the line to the middle of the ridge, and mark
out three feet six inches, which must be the distance from the centre of
each glass. Take out two spadesful of the mould, level it on the ridge,
and put one spadeful of light rich earth in its place, for the purpose
of receiving the seed. If the natural soil is light and rich, take out
one spadeful, making it round and hollow, about eight inches wide; then
sow the seed from eight to twelve under each glass. If the mould is dry,
apply water to the seed, place the glasses on, and shut them down close,
observing as they become dry, to sprinkle them with water.
After the seed has been up about a week, it will be necessary to thin
them out, in the proportion of six plants to each glass; and in the week
following reduce them to three, which is the proper number to be grown
together finally for a crop. When they are thus divided, put some light
mould round the stems of the plants, which should be done at two
different times, allowing a week to elapse between each application, and
filling up the hollow that is left.
As soon as they have made two rough leaves, top them at the second
joint. This is a plan which may be adopted with success. Hot dung is
also of great advantage, as it will cause them to come into bearing
nearly a month sooner than would otherwise be the case.
After the plants have been topped, as above directed, let them run to
six joints, and then top them again, when they will show fruit, which
may be topped at the first joint. If the hand-glasses are large, fruit
will be ready to cut very early.
Be particular in not suffering them to run to too much vine; six joints
is quite sufficient at the first, and afterwards always keep them topped
at the first or second joint. By strict attention to this mode of
treatment, you may ensure a more abundant crop, and much finer fruit,
than can be calculated upon from the usual method of suffering the vine
to grow to a considerable length, which tends materially to weaken and
exhaust the plant.
Let them be kept under the glasses as long as possible, without danger
of injuring them, admitting a small quantity of air in the day-time,
when the weather is warm, by means of a piece of wood, in the form of a
wedge, about seven inches long, five inches wide, flat, and about three
inches at the top. This will enable you to rise or fall the glass
according to the quantity of air necessary to be admitted.
Before placing the vine outside the glasses, it will be necessary to
admit a larger portion of air, both night and day, for three or four
days, in order to harden the plants; then mulch the bed all over with
litter, which will cause the fruit to be kept clean, and the roots
moist, an essential requisite in the culture of cucumbers.
Though moisture is so extremely necessary, yet at all times in the
application of water you must be regulated by the temperature of the
season. If the weather is hot and dry when they come into full bearing,
from three to four gallons of water will be required to each glass every
two or three days, if the soil is light, but if of a strong loamy
nature, less will be sufficient.
Lay out the vines regular, peg them down, and place four half bricks,
that is, one to each corner, under the frame of the glass; or another
method may be adopted, in raising the glass to the south by means of a
piece of stick, about the thickness of a broom-stick, a foot in length,
with three notches cut in it, about two inches apart, for the purpose of
resting the glass upon. This plan is far preferable to the former, in
materially accelerating the growth of the fruit, by preventing too
great a current of air; besides possessing the advantage of easier
access to the plants, when there is a necessity for examining them. It
is, however, requisite when this method is adopted, that the ridges
should always front the south.
If the above directions are strictly attended to, and the season is in
any degree favorable, a plentiful crop of fine fruit may be expected.
DIMENSIONS OF THE BOXES AND LIGHTS FOR
Early and Late Cucumbers.
_Three-light Boxes for October sowing._
The boxes should be made of good seasoned deal, one inch and a half
thick, ten feet seven inches long, four feet three inches wide, and one
foot eight inches deep at the back, and eleven inches in the front. The
bars to be three inches wide, to have two narrow slips two inches in
height, and one slip at each end. The bars to be fluted on each side of
the slips, with oak corners, five inches wide.
The lights to be four feet three inches and a half long, three feet six
inches wide, and the back rail two inches and three quarters wide; the
front to be three inches, and the sides two inches and a half; with
three bars, rounded off to a point inside, three quarters of an inch
wide. To be made of good seasoned deal, and to have horns both in the
back and front. The squares must be formed of strong crown glass, leaded
and cemented; let there be five in length, the one in front being five
inches long. A small iron bar must be passed in the middle, under the
lead of each light, which must also have iron handles.
_One-light Box for October sowing._
This must be in length four feet eight inches, three feet seven inches
wide, one foot eight inches deep at the back, and eleven inches in the
front.
The lights to be half an inch longer than the box; and in all other
respects the same as those before described.
_For January sowing._
The boxes to be ten feet seven inches long, four feet eight inches wide,
one foot eight inches deep at the back, and eleven inches in the front.
The bars and slips the same as for October.
The lights to be four feet eight inches and a half long, and three feet
six inches wide, with four bars, six squares long, rabitted, puttied,
and a small piece of lead across to every square. In other respects to
be the same as those for October.
_For Spring sowing._
The boxes to be one foot two inches deep at the back, and eight inches
in the front. In other respects, the boxes as well as the lights for
spring sowing, must be the same as those directed for the January
seed-bed.
Both boxes and lights should have three coats of paint, white inside,
and a dark lead colour on the outside.
ON THE CULTURE OF THE EARLY AND LATE
Melon.
ON THE MANAGEMENT REQUIRED IN THE CULTURE OF
Early and Late Melons.
For early melons have three loads of dung for a three-light box; but if
you have previously grown early cucumbers, the old linings will be
useful for the melon bed, by mixing a proportion of one half of fresh
dung with it. This, in fact, will be better than all fresh, as it
requires only once turning, whereas new dung should be turned twice. In
gentlemen's gardens there is generally an abundance of leaves, and
sometimes a scarcity of dung; when such is the case, leaves, mixed with
an equal proportion of dung, may be used very successfully for the
early melon; and for the late one all leaves, from trees or shrubs, will
answer the purpose, particularly where there are brick pits.
Let the dung be put together for a week, and lay the same time before it
is turned. Be careful that the bottom is dry where the bed is built;
raise it with mould or road sand to the height of six or eight inches,
and allow the bottom to be eight or nine inches longer and wider than
the box, so that when the bed is made, it may be drawn up in a gradual
manner to about three or four inches wider than the box, observing at
the same time to beat it well down with a fork. Let it be about three
feet nine inches at the back by three feet six inches in the front;
should there, however, happen to be a scarcity of dung, a foot of
strawberry or asparagus halm, fagots, or pieces of wood, or, indeed,
some of each, may be added at the bottom of the bed.
If the dung is dry, apply water to it, that it may be properly
moistened; and after the bed is formed, let it be again watered, as the
plants will not thrive so well, nor the linings have the proper effect,
if the bed is kept too dry.
The bed should be made three weeks or a month before the plants are put
into it, and must be perfectly sweet before they are ridged out. When
the bed is in a proper condition, hollow it out in the middle to the
depth of four inches, and put a large barrow-fall of mould to each hill,
pressing it down close with the hand about a foot deep.
The day before you intend to ridge out, put a pot of plants in the bed,
to prove whether it is sweet, which, if you ascertain to be the case,
and the box is large, ridge them out, three plants to a light; but if
small two will be sufficient.
The proper time to sow the seed for an early crop is about the middle of
January; and the early cucumber bed will do very well for the purpose.
Those sown at this time will be fit to cut in the first or second week
of May; but if there is no particular necessity for fruit so early, the
beginning of February is a preferable season to sow, when they will be
ready to cut by the latter end of May or the beginning of June.
The Early Cantaloupe is the best sort for an early crop. Let them be
sown in leaf mould, about eighteen or twenty seeds in a forty-eight size
pot; immediately apply water, and plunge the pots in a good sharp heat.
As soon as the seed makes its appearance, which will be in the course of
about three days, if it is good, un-plunge the pots and give them a
little water. In two or three days more they will be fit to pot off,
which ought always to be done when about a week old, as they strike much
more freely when potted off young. Let the soil for potting off the
plants be half leaf mould, and half light loam or bog earth.
The best season to sow for a second crop is the beginning of March, and
well calculated for the Stroud Rock, Scarlet Rock, White-seeded Rock,
Green Flesh, and, in fact, many others of nearly the same description,
though under different names, which they have derived from those
gardeners who have cultivated them by impregnating one with the other.
It is by no means, however, advisable to sow the Black Rock before the
latter end of March, as it is only calculated for a late melon, and
should be grown in large boxes, two plants to a light. This, though a
fine looking fruit, and well flavoured, will not suit those whose object
is to produce a large quantity; for, by attempting to grow more than two
in a light, they will not rock, nor arrive to any degree of
perfection.[7]
The Stroud Rock is a particular favourite with the Author, who has
produced fruit of this kind upwards of seven pounds in weight, though
the common size varies from three to five. This description of melon is
not generally known, although it is a fine looking and excellent
flavoured fruit: it possesses a thin skin, orange-coloured flesh, and
the rind is very dark.
The Scarlet Rock is, however, the finest flavoured melon that can be
produced, though small in its growth, seldom exceeding the weight of
three pounds, and commonly from one to two. The flesh is of a deep
scarlet colour, and it is rather inclined to rock.
The Early Cantaloupe is the most productive melon in bearing; but in
order to obtain them good flavoured no more than one fruit must be
suffered to swell on a plant at a time, except the lights are large,
when two may be allowed, that is, six in a light; but if, however, the
plants are confined to one fruit, a second crop may be obtained.
The White-seeded Rock is a very fine melon in appearance, and much
approved of by some gardeners for its qualities in ripening early for a
rock; but it will not, however, keep long, soon loses its flavour, and
the colour changes very yellow; it is also extremely tender in its
growth, and very inferior in flavour to the Stroud Rock; neither is it
so handsome a fruit, so well-flavoured, nor does it ripen any sooner.