or 3 cucumbers, salt and vinegar, 2 oz. of butter,
flour, 1/2 pint of broth, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, a lump of
sugar, the yolks of 2 eggs, salt and pepper to taste.

_Mode_.--Pare and cut the cucumbers into slices of an equal thickness,
and let them remain in a pickle of salt and vinegar for 1/2 hour; then
drain them in a cloth, and put them into a stewpan with the butter. Fry
them over a brisk fire, but do not brown them, and then dredge over them
a little flour; add the broth, skim off all the fat, which will rise to
the surface, and boil gently until the gravy is somewhat reduced; but
the cucumber should not be broken. Stir in the yolks of the eggs, add
the parsley, sugar, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; bring the whole
to the point of boiling, and serve.

_Time_.--Altogether, 1 hour.

_Average cost_, when cheapest, 4d. each.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ in July, August, and September; but may be had, forced,
from the beginning of March.

FRIED CUCUMBERS.

1113. INGREDIENTS.--2 or 3 cucumbers, pepper and salt to taste, flour,
oil or butter.

_Mode_.--Pare the cucumbers and cut them into slices of an equal
thickness, commencing to slice from the thick, and not the stalk end of
the cucumber. Wipe the slices dry with a cloth, dredge them with flour,
and put them into a pan of boiling oil or butter; Keep turning them
about until brown; lift them out of the pan, let them drain, and serve,
piled lightly in a dish. These will be found a great improvement to
rump-steak: they should be placed on a dish with the steak on the top.

_Time_.--5 minutes. _Average cost_, when cheapest, 4d. each.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Forced from the beginning of March to the end of June; in
full season in July and August.

PROPERTIES AND USES OF THE CUCURBITS.--The common cucumber is
the C. sativus of science, and although the whole of the family
have a similar action in the animal economy, yet there are some
which present us with great anomalies. The roots of those which
are perennial contain, besides fecula, which is their base, a
resinous, acrid, and bitter principle. The fruits of this
family, however, have in general a sugary taste, and are more or
less dissolving and perfumed, as we find in the melons, gourds,
cucumbers, vegetable-marrows, and squashes. But these are
slightly laxative if partaken of largely. In tropical countr