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under sides of the leaves, “ In order to destroy his webs, which are there thickly woven.” Few other
insects annoy the lig, except sometimes tho coccus or scaly insect, which is destroyed by washing with
soap-suds and sulphur, or th e liquor recommended for destroying th at insect on pines. (Kalenda}',3\d.)
3220. Gathering the fr u it. Figs begun to be forced in January, Nicol states, will be ripe about th e end
of June and July. “ If fig trees in a forcing-house,” Miller observes, “ are properly managed, the lirst
crop of fruit will bo greater than upon those which are exposed to th e open air, and will ripen six weeks
or two montlis earlier, and a plentiful second crop may also be obtained, which will ripen early in Sep-
tember.” To preserve the bloom, gather with the peach-gatherer. They may be preserved a short time
on tho trees, by covering with mats from the sun, and admitting abundance of air among the branches.
This alludes to what is called th e second crop, or th at produced from the wood of tlie current year.
Sometimes a few of the first crop ripen, but in general it is not to be relied on. Aiton, Sir Joseph Banks
informs us {Jlort. Trans., vol. i. p. 253.), “ has for several years practised the forcing of figs, in the royal
gardens of Kew, with great success, and his chief dependence is on th e second crop.”
3221. Exposure ofthe tvood. After the fruit is gathered, the glasses may be removed, till winter sets
in, when they must cither be p u t on, or th e trees covered with mats or straw, to protect them from the
frost.
3222. Forcing the fig in pots. M'Phail says, figs may be ripened a t an early season, by planting them
in pots, and setting them into a hothouse or forcing-house. “ T h e plants should bo low and bushy, so
that they may stand on the curb of the tan-bed, or they may be plunged in a gentle tan-heat, or in a bed
o f leaves of trees. The best way to propagate plants for this purpose is to take layers or slips which have
good ro o ts ; plant them in pots in good earth, one plant in each pot, and plunge them in a bed of tan or
of leaves of trees, in whicii is a very gentle h e a t : a brick bed will answer the purpose very well ; or they
will do in the forcing-liouse, if there be room for them. L e t them be put into the house iii the Utter end
of February or beginning of March, and keep them sufficiently watered. When they are two years old,
they will be able to bear fru it; the pots in that time having become lull of roots. In the month of
November or December, tu rn th e plants out of the pots, and with a sharp knife pare ofF th e outside of the
ball, by which the plant will be divested of its roots matted against th e inside of the p o t : then place them
into larger pots, filling up the vacancy round the balls with strong loamy ea rth. During tho winter, let
them be kept in the greenhouse, or in a glazed pit of a like temperature, till the month of February ;
then set them into the forcing-housc, where it is intended they shall ripen their fruit. In this manner
let them be treated every year, which will be a means of preventing th e fruit from falling off before it
come to maturity.” (G. liem .) Nicol says, fig trees kej)t in pots or tubs may be treated very much as
directed for cherries. Two dozen or thirty plants would be a good stock for that purpose. T h e first
division m ight be placed in a cherry or peach house about the middle or latter end of January. {Kalendar,
p. 319.)
S e c t . VI. Culture and Forcing o f the Cucumber.
3223. To produce cucumhers at an early season, is an object of emulation with evciy
gard en e r; and there is scarcely any person, not even the humblest tradesman, as hITfliail
observes, who bas not his cucumher-bed in his garden. We shall follow our usual plan,
aud lay bcibre the reader a systematic view of the practices of the most approved gardeners
in the culture of this ¡dant. Cucumbers arc forced in hotbeds, pits, and hothouses
; and the heat of fire, hot ivatcr, steam, and dung has been applied to thcir
cultiu'c ; but dung, as the author last quoted observes, is the only thing yet found out, hy
the heat of whicli the cucumber may be advantageously cultivated.
3224. Soil. Cucumbers, like every other plant, will grow in any soil, though not with the same degree
of vigour, provided they be supplied with a sufficiency of heat, light, water, and air. Abercrombie, for
early forcing, recommends a mould or compost of the following materials: — “ One third of rich top-spit
earth, from an upland pasture, one half of vegetable mould, and one sixth of well decomposed horse-dung,
with a small quantity of sand. M'Phail used vegetable mould, made from a mixture (accidental) of the
leaves o f “ elm, lime, beech, sycamore, horse and sweet chestnut, spruce and Scotch fir, walnut, laurel,
oak, evergreen oak, ash, &c.,” and among them withered grass, and weeds of various sorts. “ This
vegetable mould,” he says, “ without a mixture of any thing besides, is what I used for growing cucumbers
in, and. by experience, I found it preferable to any other moulds, earths, or composts whatever,
either in my new method of a brick bed, or in th e old method of a bed made of hot dung.” Aiton gives
the following as the compost used in the Kew gard en : — “ Of light loam, a few months from th e common,
one third p a r t ; the best rotten dung, one third p a r t ; leaf-mould and heath-earth, of equal parts, making
together one third p a r t: the whole well mixed for use.” {Hort. Trans., vol. ii. p. 282.) Mills {Iloi-t.
Trans., vol. iii. p. 148.) states, th a t the soil he uses “ is half bog or black mould, got from a dry heathy
common, and half leaf-mould : after lying twelve months in a heap, the compost is fit for use.”
3225. Time o f beginning to force. Abercrombie says, “ Managers who have to provide against demands
for early cucumbers, must raise th e seedlings from twelve to ten weeks before th e fruit will be required,
according to th e length of the days in theinterva l. In proportion as the entire course embraces a greater
part ofrriidwinter, the liability of failure from obstacles in th e w eather will be greater. T h e last fortnight
in January, or first week of 1* ebruary, is a good time for beginning to force the most early crop. In the
subsequent months, both main and secondary crops may be started as re q u ired ; and will come forward
more freely. To have a constant succession, seedlings should be originated twice a-month. As the
course of forcing more coincides with the natura l growmg season, the length of it will be reduced to
eight, seven, or six weeks.”
3226. Sorts. The short prickly for very early fruit, and th e long prickly kinds for the chief early and
main summer crops, are generally recommended. M'Phail prefers “ the green cucumber with black
prickles, as best for forcing. When fit for table, it runs from 6 in. to 9 in. long, and, when ripe, is about
18 in. or 20 in. long.” Other varieties, such as Walker’s, attain th e length of 20 in., 24 in., or even
27 in., in a green state, and fit for the table.
3227. Choice of seed. Seed from two to four years old is preferable to newer seed, which is more apt to
run luxuriantly in vine, and the plants from which do not show fruit so soon or .so abundantly as those
from seed of a greater age. Seed which lias been kept more than four years is sometimes found to be too
much weakened.
3228. Forming the seed-bed. “ A one-light frame,” Abercrombie says, “ will be large enough for
ordinary purposes. Choose a d ry sheltered p a rt of the melon-ground, and form a b e d for a one-light
frame. When high winds are suffered to blow against a cucumber-bed, they have a very powerful effect
on i t ; for, in that case, th e heat in a short time will not only be greatly abated, but also forced and
driven into the corners of th e frames, and, consequently, some parts thereof are rendered too cold, whilst
other parts are made too warm ; and, of course, the plants are all equally endangered, retarded in their
growth, and perhaps some, if not all of them, totally destroyed. Therefore, when a cucumber-bed is
about to be built, th e first object of consideration should be, to have it, as well as possible, sheltered from
the high winds and boisterous stormy weather. Having put on the frame, and waited till th e bed is fit
M'Phail for moulding, lay in 5 in, or 6 in. depth of the proper earth or compost.’ makes up a bed of
good dung, 4 ft. high, for a one-light box.
32‘29. Sowing. Abercrombie sows some seeds in th e layer of the earth which he spreads over the bed
putting them m half an inch deep. He also sows some seeds in two, three, or more small pots of the
same kind of earth, which may be plunged a little into that of tho bed. M’Phail sows in a pot filled
2 m. thick, and sets the pots on the surface of the naked dung on the bed.
3230. Raising plants fr om cuttings. “ M'Phail says, “ instead of raising cucumber plants from seed,
they may be raised trom cuttings, and thu.s kept on from year to year in the following manner. Thè
method of tyriking them is this : take a shoot which is just ready for stopping, cut it off ju st below the
joint behind th e joint bclore which the shoot should have been stopped, then cut smooth the lower end
ot the shoot or cutting, and stick it into fine leaf or other rich mould about an inch deep and give it
plerdy of heat, and shade it from the rays of the sun till it be fairly struck. By this method, as well as
by th at of laying, cucumber plants may readily be propagated.” Mearns, when gardener at Shobden
Court, near Leominster, propagated his cucumber plants for a w inter crop in this way, and found “ that
the plants raised Irom cuttings are less succulent, and therefore do not so readily damp off. or suffer from
th e low temperature to which th e y a re liable to be exposed in severe weather ; th a t they come into
bearing immediately as they have formed roots of sufficient strength to support their fruit and do not
run so much to barren vine as seedlings are apt to do.” He advises the cuttings to be taken from the
tops of tbe bearing shoots, and planted in pots 9 in. deep, half filled with mould. They should then be
watered, and, th e tops of the pots being covered with flat pieces of glass, they should be plunged into a
gentle bottom heat. “ The sides of the pot act as a sufficient shade for the cuttings during the time
they are striking, and th e flat glass, in this and in similar operations, answers all the purposes of bell-
glasses. The cuttings torm roots, and are ready to pot off in less than a fortnight.” {Hort. Trans
vo l.iv . p. 411.)
3231. Temperature o fth e sced-bcd. Abercrombie says, “ the minimum heat for the cucumber is
58® a t the coldest time of night ; in th e daytime 65° is sufficient for the maximum ; because air
admitted when the sun has great influence will do more good than a higher heat.” M'Phail savs “ if
It were possible to keep the heat in the frames always to 80°, with the concurrence of proper air’and
moisture, I am of opinion that that would bo a sufficient heat for the production of the cucumber ”
32.'52. Treatment till removed to thefruiting-bed. After sowing, Abercrombie continues tho glasses on
th e frame ; giving occasional vent above for the steam to ev.aporate, that the heat may not become too
violent. The plants will be up in a few days, when it will be proper to admit air daily, but more
guardedly, a i the upper ends of the lights, which may be raised from half an inch to an inch or two
according to the temperature of the weather, that the plants may not draw up wealc, or be injured by the
steam. In frosty weather, part of the mat should be hung over th e aperture. “ When th e plants are a
little advanced,” says Abercrombie, “ with th e seed-leaves about half an inch broad, take them up and
prick some in small pots of light earth, previously warmed by the heat of the bed. P u t three plants in
each pot. and insert them a little slopingly, quite to the seed-leaves. Plunge the pots into the earth • and
prick some plants also into th e earth of the bed. Give a very little water just to the roots : the water
should be previously warmed to th e temperature of the bed. Draw on the glasses ; but admit air daily
to promote the growth of the plants, as well as to give vent to the steam rising in the bed, by tilting thè
lights behind, from half an inch to an inch or two high, in proportion to the heat of the bed and temperature
of th e weather. Cover the glasses every night with garden mats, and remove them timely in the
morning. Give twice a week, once in two days, or daily, according to the season, a very light waterin"-
Keep up a moderate lively heat in th e bed, by requisite linings of hot dung to the sides.”
3233. Formingthefruiting-bed. Abercrombie directs, “ when th e plants are advanced in some tolerable
stocky growth, that is, when th e first rough leaves are 2 in. or 3 in. broad, or when the plants have
been raised about live weeks, transplant them to a larger hotbed, with a two-light or three-light frame
sometimes called the ridging-out bed.” Form the bed on general principles, of superficial extent
according to the frame it is to support, leaving from 4 in. to 6 in. all round, and fixing the height according
to the season. Thus, in January, Abercrombie directs the bed to be “ 3 ft. 9 lu. high in front, 4 ft.
fi in. at the back, and G in. larger than the frame all round ; in February, 3 ft. 3 in. high a t the front,
4 ft. at the back, and 4 in. to spare round th e frame ; in March, 3 ft. high in front, 3 ft. 6 in. at back’
and 4 in. beyond the frame every way. P u t on the frame and glasses presently after the body of dung is
built up, to defend it from the weather. At the same time raise the glasses a little at the upper end in
order both to draw up the heat sooner, and to give vent to th e rising steam, until the bed is reduced to
a regular temperature. In connection with the thermometer, the cultivator may be assisted to form a
judgment of ibis, by irying-siiclcs, th at is, two or more sharp-pointed smooth sticks, th ru st down in different
parts of th e bed ; which a t intervals may be drawn up, and felt by a quick grasp o fth e hand. The
smell of the vapour is also a criterion : it should not be strong and fetid, but mild and sweet. While
taking care that the heat is not so intense as to burn the mould when applied, let it not be suffered to
evaporate unnecessarily by delay. If tlio temperature appear not sufficiently high, take off the frame
and add another course of dung.” M'Phail, when he fruits the cucumber on dung-beds, begins to make
preparations for the fruiting-bed about three weeks before th e plants are ready to be finally planted out.
The dung collected, after being well worked, is “ made up into a bed of about 4 ft. or 5 ft. high, and thè
frames and lights set upon it. It is afterwards suffered to stand for a few days to settle, and until its
violent heat be somewhat abated ; and when it is thought to be in a fit state for the plants to grow iu, its
surface is made level, and a hill of mould laid in ju s t under the middle of each light, and when tho mould
gets warm, the plants are ridged out in it. After this, if the bed has become perfectly sweet, and there
be beat enough in it, and the weather prove fine, th e plants will grow finely.”
3234. Moulding. “ As soon,” Abercrombie observes, “ as you deem the bed to have alively, safe, well-
tempered heat, which may be in a week or ten days after building, proceed to mould it. Earth the
middle of each light, laying the mould so as to form a little hill, from 6 in. to 10 in. in height, according
as seed is to be sown, or plants from the seed-bed inserted. Then earth over the intervals between the
hills and the sides of the frame only, from 2 in. to 4 in., as a temporary measure, until th e heat is ascertained
to be within safe limit. After the whole bed has been some time covered, examine the mould :
if no traces of a burning effect appear, discoverable by th e mould turmng of a whitish colour and caking,
it will be fit to receive the plants. But if the earth appears b u rn t, such part should be replaced by fresh,
and vacuities made to give vent to the steam, by drawing away p art of the hills from the centre. When
th e bed is in fit order, level th e m ould to 6 in. deep, if to receive seeds ; but to receive plants in pots,
th e hills of earth should be kept 10 in. deep or more. If there be any motive for haste, while an excess
o f heat is to be suspected, th e danger from burning may be obviated by leaving vacancies in the top
mould ; by placing patches of fresh cow-dung or decayed bark to receive the pots of seeds or plants ; and
by boring holes in the bed with a round pole sharpened a t the end, which holes should be filled up with
hay or dung when th e heat is sufficiently reduced. Some persons place a layer of tu rf with the sward
downwards between the dung and the mould : but this, if ever expedient, is only in late forcing ; for in
winter the full effect of a sweet well-tempered heat is wanted, much of which, by being confined a t top,
may be forced out at the sides.”
3235. Planting out. Abercrombie, when th e temperature is ascertained to be right, brings the plants
in their pots ; turns over the hills of mould, forming them again properly; and then proceeds to planting.
“ T u rn those in pots clean out, one pot a t a time, with the ball of earth whole about the roots ; and thus
insert one patch of three plantswhich have grown together, with the ball of earth entire, into the middle
of each hill, earthing them neatly round the stems. Also any not in pots, having been pricked into the
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