dissimilar and most worthy of cultivation, either in forcing frames or in the open air: and he will begin with the variety which laid the foundation of the fine cucumbers exhibited in this country during the last sixty years.

1. The Southgate, so called from a village near London, where this fruit was raised in the greatest perfection as to moderate length, symmetry of growth, and colour; and being of a more tender nature than the common long prickly, is principally recommended for early frame-work, as are all the sorts which have originated from this stock, for which there are numerous claimants, each sort being considered by its possessor as the best. Hence the only advice the author can give to the young horticulturist, to procure a really good cucumber, is to apply to some respectable seedsman or brother gardener for the seed of their best sort.

2. Long Green Prickly. This is a hardier sort than the Southgate, but not so early; it is the most proper for hand-glasses and for various culinary purposes. It commonly grows from seven to ten inches long, and has a dark-green skin, covered with small prickles.

3. Short Green Prickly, is one of the hardiest and earliest sorts, and the best for the open ground. It is also the most prolific in producing the small cucumbers for pickling. The village of Sandy, in Bedfordshire, has long been famous for producing cucumbers in the open air; and, in the season, whole waggon loads are sent weekly to the London markets, not only for pickling, but in a more mature state for all culinary purposes.

4. Long Smooth Green Turkey, grows to a considerable length and thickness, is very fleshy, and proper for mangoes and pickling when very young. It is not a sort much cultivated for very early crops.

5. Long White Turkey differs from the above in having a number of spines scattered over the surface of the fruit. The stalks and leaves grow to a larger size, and by some it is considered less watery, and of a better quality.

6. Long White Spine, a delicate cucumber, generally grows from eight to ten inches long; the fruit is white with small black prickles, and not so watery, and with fewer seeds than most others of the green variety. It is preferred by some families for the table, but is an indifferent bearer. The author has to remark, by way of caution, that where the white varieties are propagated, they should be kept totally distinct from the green, provided the seed is saved from either colour, otherwise they will certainly degenerate; and no seed should be saved, but from such plants as are in a healthy state, with fruit perfect in growth and colour.

7. The Prize-fighter. The author cannot well define the reason of this appellation: perhaps it arose from its obtaining the prize so often at various cucumber and horticultural shows. This sort is of late introduction, and is in every respect a good one. It requires the assistance of artificial heat to bring the fruit to perfection, as it grows to a large size, generally from twelve to twenty inches long, or more. It is firm and well-flavoured.

Culture.In the raising and producing of this fruit much care and attention are necessary, as well

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as a considerable degree of skill in the regulation, management, and application of the heat, which is required to bring them to maturity in the best and most perfect manner.

There being so little to be said of raising the cucumber in the natural way, the author has reversed the order in this instance, and proceeds with the culture by artificial means, which being premised, he has to observe that no plant in the culinary line of vegetables has given the gardener more anxiety than the one now treated of, during the most changeable, dreary, and severe part of the year. However, much of that care and anxiety has been lessened within these last forty years by M'Phail's pits, which have been glanced at in the early part of the work. That excellent invention has certainly rendered the forcing of this vegetable more simple, and reduced it to a more regular and certain system; so that at this time few gentlemen's gardens, and few of the principal market-gardens in the vicinity of London and various other large towns, are without them.

As it is not convenient for every one who wishes to have early cucumbers to erect a permanent hotbed, the culture on dung hot-beds will be first noticed.

In raising and cultivating the cucumber in this way, the apparatus and materials principally necessary in carrying it to any considerable extent, are a sufficient number of frames or pits of different sizes, with glass lights for covering them; and it is usual when this culture is much attended to, and practised in the most perfect manner, to have

a one-light frame for the seed-bed, a two-light one for pricking out the young plants and nursing them in, and two or more two-light frames for their fruiting in; but they may be cultivated very well, on a small scale, with one or two small frames, or proper pits.

What has been said on the preparation of the dung under the head of asparagus, holds good in respect of the cucumber, but more so from the very tender nature of the plant, and the untoward season (December and January) in which the cucumber seed is generally sown. This is the most perplexing and difficult operation of the season, and, if well got over, with strong and healthy plants, the cultivator may look forward with every probability of success; at least the author has found it to be the case in very many instances, during a practice of seventy years.

For the seed-bed (an essential matter) in either of the months above mentioned, sufficient fresh horse-dung, say three or four good cart-loads, should be procured, to make up a strong hot-bed for a one light frame or box, as the gardeners call it; which, if large enough, will be sufficient to produce plants for six or nine-lights. The dung being in readiness, it should be laid in a heap for five or six days, and, in the interim, turned over two or three times. Should heavy rain or snow fall at the time, some sort of temporary covering with mats, fern, or such like will be necessary, to protect it from being too much saturated with moisture, which brings on a fiery heat at first, but slackens too soon afterwards. Care, however, should always be taken, that the

reduction of the dung is not carried too far before making up the bed; as where that is the case, too little heat will afterwards be produced, and there will be a want of regularity in its supply.

In the course of a week, and as soon as the dung is observed to be in proper order, the bed may be made up to full three feet and a half in height, and six or ten inches wider than the frame, the whole being beaten down regularly with the fork, but not trodden, as advised by some. When finished, the frame and lights must then be put on and kept close for a day or two, to draw up the beat, which will soon be accomplished with a large body of steam air should then be admitted night and day, by tilting up the light two or three inches at the back, for the steam to evaporate, which it generally does in four or five days, and sometimes in less. During that time, if the dung within the frame is slightly stirred up with a hand fork every other day, and a moderate watering given each time, it will bring the bed into a sweet and competent state for earthing: (these waterings are most essential, and are of modern invention.) The author's old acquaintance, Abercrombie, says nothing of them in his early work, Every Man his own Gardener, which, almost at first sight, made the author averse from every other pursuit but that of a gardener."

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When the bed is found to be in a proper state for earthing, the frame should be taken off, and the surface stirred up about a foot in depth, when, after being regularly beat down and levelled, the frame must be again put on, and a quantity of the richest mould, more dry than moist - suppose one