Concombre. Gurke.

No. 612. - There are many varieties of Cucumbers. They are eaten raw and are also cooked in various ways. When used in salads they should be sliced very fine and sprinkled with salt to drain them of the water, otherwise they are apt to cause indigestion. It is a vegetable that can be grown to perfection by any one who controls a few square yards of soil which is fully exposed to the sun - the fruit being so very much better when gathered from the vine than when procured in the market. Some varieties are used for cooking purposes and some for pickling, and are then called pickles, or gherkins.

Culture

No. 613. - The plants are tender, and planting should be delayed until settled warm weather or ample facilities are provided to protect them from frost and during cold storms. Form low, flat hills, six feet apart each way, of rich soil, by mixing in a quantity of thoroughly decomposed manure, stirring the soil to a depth of sixteen inches or more. Scatter one seed every inch along the rows, and cover them one inch deep, pressing the soil over them. As soon as the plants are up they will be liable to attack by the striped encumber beetle. These may be kept off by frequent dusting with air-slacked lime. Care should be taken not to use too much lime, for if too strong it will kill the vines. When the plants are well established, thin to three plants to each hill. In gathering, pick all the fruit before it begins to ripen, as the vines will cease setting fruit as soon as any seed commences to mature. In gathering for pickles cut the stem instead of pulling the fruit off, and be careful not to mar the fruit in any way, for if the skin is broken the pickles will not keep.

Early White Spine

No. 614. - A favorite market variety, of medium size, with deep green flesh, crisp and of fine flavor.

Extra Large White Spine

No. 615. - This is a larger variety of dark-green color, largely used for forcing.

Boston Pickling

No. 616. - A variety largely used, very productive, and of superior quality.

Early Frame

No. 617. - An old and popular variety of medium size, straight and handsome, and excellent for pickling when young.

Early Cluster

No. 618. - A much esteemed early sort, growing in clusters and extremely productive.

Green Prolific

No. 619. - This is one of the best for pickling. Its characteristics are its very uniform growth (hardly ever yielding Cucumbers too large for pickling) and its immense productiveness.

Early Russian

No. 620. - This is the earliest variety of fruit produced, and is small, hardy and productive.

Long Green

So. 621. - A fine long fruit of excellent quality, of a dark-green color, firm and crisp.

Talby' S Hybrid, the Long Green Turkey, and the Short Green, are considered excellent varieties for family use.

English Frame Or Forcing Varieties

No. 622. - These are almost exclusively raised for self-gratification, and are grown in hot-houses. Sow them in small pots in January, February or March, in a hot-bed or hot-house, and when grown to three leaves plant them out in previously prepared hills of loose rich soil in the center of the sash. Keep a temperature of sixty-five degrees at night, to seventy or eighty degrees with sun heat. When grown under glass artificial impregnation of the flowers is necessary, by the usual method of using a camel' s-hair pencil, or if not a hive of bees should be kept, if Cucumbers are grown on a large scale in green-houses. When grown in the open air there is no need of this, as the insects and winds effect impregnation. The following selections include some of the leading English varieties:

Berkshire Champion, Blue Gown, Carter's Champion, Improved Lion House, Dale's Conqueror, Telegraph, Marquis of Lorne, Lord Kenyon's Favorite, Duke of Edinburgh, Cuthill's Black Spine, Invincible, Master's Prolific, Long Green, Prince Albert, Monroe's Rabley, Walker's Rumblers.