of the
weather. If the season is fine and the heat good they will require water
every other day, but if the weather is dull, and the heat slack, be very
cautious in applying the water lest they should get the canker, which is
a dangerous disorder, and very difficult to be removed. The best thing
in such a case is to give a strong heat, and be very moderate in the
application of water.

After the plants have been ridged out a fortnight it will be necessary
to shut them down in the afternoon, about an hour before they are
covered up. They will, however, require air in the night, generally till
the fruit is cut, and even then if the weather is mild; for by being
kept close at night when there is a strong heat, the fruit is liable to
change colour and become of a yellow cast.

The plants should be uncovered in a morning by eight o'clock, or nine at
farthest, in the winter, and six or seven as the season advances, unless
the weather is very cold or windy, when they may remain an hour longer
than usual.

Should the frame be infested with woodlice, place some cabbage-leaves or
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: inde