fruiting should not have the leading shoot stopped till it gets half-way to the top of the house, and after that, not again till it reaches near the top. The lateral growths show fruit freely when stopped regularly. It is well, too, especially in winter, to remove the male blossoms as soon as they are discerned. Impregnated cucumbers are never so equal and good as those which are unfertilised; and except for seed, no impregnation should be allowed. I cannot impress too strongly the fact, that to have a constant supply of good cucumbers over a length of time, over-cropping must be avoided by removing those not absolutely required. It is a tempting sight to have a fine display at one time. It looks well while it lasts, but the plants will rebel by resting for a season after the effort.

After they have been bearing some time and give indications that a top-dressing would be beneficial, mix two parts old mushroom-bed or old hotbed manure with one part of turfy loam, and cover the surface of the bed to the depth of 1 inch or a little more; and after the turn of the season, about the end of January, apply a similar covering to the roots that will have seized upon the first dressing. With increased daylight, they will do with increased moisture, and these top-dressings will cause them to grow more strongly, and they will go on bearing under similar treatment for a long time. It is, however, desirable, when convenience exists, to raise more plants to come into bearing in spring, and, if necessary, to introduce a new set of plants into the winter house to bear through the summer, or to allow of its being devoted to propagation or any other purpose. Not that this is absolutely necessary, although desirable, for the same

plants under careful treatment often go on bearing until the house is needed for another winter set of plants.

INSECTS.

Thrips and red-spider are very apt to be troublesome on winter cucumbers, and their first appearance must be the signal for their destruction. See directions for destroying these insects at close of chapter on Melons.

DISEASES.

The cucumber-plant is subject to mildew when grown in too low a temperature, and kept too wet or too dry at the root. Whenever it appears, dust the affected parts with sulphur. Keep the bottom and top heat up to what I have recommended, and give air freely; under such conditions it will disappear. Gumming and canker, with which they are sometimes affected, is caused by the want of sufficient bottom-heat and over-watering. Whenever it appears on the fruit or plants, raise the bottom-heat, and apply less water both at the root and in the air, and dust the affected parts with newly-slaked lime. In such houses as I have recommended, and with attention to the heat and watering, neither of these diseases is likely to attack the plants. Deformed fruit are often seen on cucumbers. They are the result of general debility, and a sure sign that the plants are not sufficiently nourished, and that the temperature has been too low. To prevent malformed fruits, do not crop too heavily, top-dress the soil with rotten dung, and keep the temperature in the soil and air as has been directed.

VARIETIES.

My

Most growers have their favourite varieties. own experience leads me to recommend for both summer and winter crops, Volunteer and Telegraph. These are the most generally useful cucumbers I have ever grown for both winter and summer, and I have tried scores. Sir Garnet Wolseley is a variety recently raised by Joseph Hamilton & Sons, Carlisle, and of which I have a very high opinion as a general

cropper.

270

THE CALENDAR.

JANUARY.

Pines. Where ripe pines are required in May and June, no time must be lost in getting the required number started into fruit. For this purpose select those Queens that have completed their growth early in autumn, and that have been rested by being comparatively dry and cool. Give them a night temperature of 65°, and a bottom-heat ranging from 85° to 90°, but never exceed the latter degree, or the roots are likely to suffer. If the soil be dry, give sufficient water at 80° to moisten it, and keep it regularly in a medium state of moisture, and gradually increase the air and moisture as the days lengthen and light increases. When the temperature exceeds 75° with sun, give a little air at the highest part of the pinery, and shut up early in the afternoon. Keep all succession stock quiet. The night temperature should range as steadily at 60° as possible. A few degrees less during hard frost or a high wind are safer than a few degrees more than 60°. 75° to 80 is sufficient bottom-heat for those. Avoid giving more water at the root than just suffices to keep the plants healthy. When the plunging material has been leaves and tan without hot-water pipes beneath them, I have frequently had pines in the most satisfactory condition without being once watered from the beginning of November

to the middle or end of January. All young stock in low pits, that can be covered from dusk till dawn, should be covered in preference to firing hard to keep up the temperature; and whenever the temperature exceeds 65° by sun-heat, give a small amount of air at a number of openings, instead of much at a few.

Vines. Give every attention to late grapes still hanging, keeping them at a steady temperature of 45° with a dry atmosphere. Instead of opening ventilators on mild foggy days, keep them shut, and embrace the opportunity afforded by clearer weather of giving a little increase of heat and air. The former practice fills the house with moist air, while the latter expels it. Go over every bunch twice a-week, and remove all decaying berries before they communicate their rottenness to others. Prune all vines from which the fruit has been cut, and that have shed their leaves. Wash every inch of inside surface, not even excepting gangways. Paint the hot-water pipes and wood and wire-work, if they require it; and if the vines have been infected with red-spider last year, wash and dress as has been directed. Remove 2 inches of the surface-soil from the inside border, and if the roots are inside the house, top-dress with 2 inches of horse-droppings or other short manure, and cover it over with an inch of loam. Early started vines will be set, and in some cases thinned. These, if required as early as possible to succeed the late grapes, may be pushed briskly along, but let the forcing be done by day principally. 65° is sufficient temperature at night, unless in very mild weather, when it may rise to 70°. Avoid an excess of moisture, especially in dull weather, and give air on all favourable opportunities, and always in the earlier part of the day, shutting up early in the afternoon. If this crop be in pots, great attention must be paid to watering, keeping the soil regularly moist. Vines in bloom require to be freely aired, avoiding cold currents as much as possible. Thin the bunches