vents, they should not be
kept in the pots longer than a month, as there is a probability, if that
time is exceeded, of their being stinted in the growth.

The soil best calculated to ridge them out in, is a light rich earth. If
the soil is of a strong loamy nature, add some leaf mould or rotten dung
to it, and mix it up well together.

Dig a trench about a foot in depth, and three feet wide, and let the bed
be made up about a foot above the level, that is, two feet from the
bottom of the trench; tread it down well, level it, and apply some water
if it is dry; then put the mould on, and let it be dug a spit deep, and
eighteen inches wide on each side of the trench; afterwards put some
dung or leaf mould on, and dig it in. Level the mould down, so that the
bed will be about six feet wide, and nine or ten inches deep, taking
care to leave it a little higher in the middle, where the dung is
placed, in order that the mould may not settle, and become lower in the
centre, which will have a tendency to injure the plants by absorbing the
water, which is most required at the outsides.

It is an excellent plan, if the ground is disengaged two or three months
previous to the time it is wanted for the cucumber bed, to mark it out
six feet wide, and put in six inches of dung or leaf mould, and lay it
up in ridges of two feet six inches in width, and a foot in depth. When
wanted for use, level it down, and dig a trench three feet wide for the
dung, levelling it as before directed. This method, if it can be
conveniently attended to, is certainly preferable to the other, as it
allows an opportunity of incorporating the dung and mould together. If
hot dung cannot be easily obtained, it may be dispensed with, provided
the seed is not sown earlier than the month of May.

Let the ground be ridged up as before directed, and when wanted for use,
level it down; then mark out six feet wide beds for each, and three feet
alleys; afterwards place the line to the middle of the ridge, and mark
out three feet six inches, which must be the distance from the centre of
each glass. Take out two spadesful of the mould, level it on the ridge,
and put one spadeful of light rich earth in its place, for the purpose
of receiving the seed. If the natural soil is light and rich, take out
one spadeful, making it round and hollow, about eight inches wide; then
sow the seed from eight to twelve under each glass. If the mould is dry,
apply water to the seed, pla