The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-18

March, or during the first ten days in
April
Where hand frames are used the crop can
be planted earlier than this by several
weeks. Any one engaged In growing Gu
cumbers for market, as many are near the
cities, will find the hand frame almost indis-
pensable for starting the first crop of Gus
cumbers and melons, and very useful with
the egg plants and tomatoes. The cost
amounts to little beyond the price of the
glass. The frames once made will last for a
number of years if properly cared for, and
there need be little loss from the breakage of
the glass if carefully handled and put away
when no longer wanted. A deft hand can
make a hundred or so of the frames on a
rainy day. Make the frames out of eight
or ten-inch plank and square the top side so
that pane of glass ten by twelve will fit 1t
closely. Whom the hills for melons or Gu
cumbers are made up set the frames on the
hill pressing it down into the soil and in
clining the frame a little toward the south
so as to catch the suns rays broadcast
Draw the soil up around the outside of the
frame. Plant eight to ten seed in each
frame and keep the glass on so as to accu~
mulate all the heat possible. It is well to
fix the hills and frames some days in ad-
vance of planting, and keep on the glass so
as to warm I'D the soil somewhat. This will
insure the seed from rotting and promote
rapid termination. If much of a cold wave
should threaten after the cucumber plants
are up, it may be necessary to supply some
additional cover besides the pane Of glass
at night-a mat or some pine straw or a
newspaper laid under the glass. Unless the
frames are made air tight and the glass
closely fitted enough cold air may be ad-
nitted to injure considerably if not kill the
young plants. In using hand frames it is
with the design Of getting the plants in as
advanced a condition as possible by the
time it is safe to expose them to the open
air. In this way they may be gotten ready
to run early in April, or earlier if desired.
Whatever manure is used should be thor
oughly incorporated with the SOIL using
care that no rank, unfermented material
comes close to the roots. An application of
nitrate of soda can be made about the hills
after the plants have started to grow If its
need is indicated by an unthrifty appear
ancs Of the plants.
Push the cultivation after it has once
started and the crop will soon be beyond the
need of it. Do not cultivate when the dew
Is on
There are numerous varieties of cucum-
bers-sixty or more named sorts appearing
in the catalogues-but the improved
"White Spine" and the "Long Green" are
sufficient for all practical purposes. The
"Green Prolific" the Early Frame and the
Early Russian are other we'll known sorts.
Take your choice. "It is six of one and
half dozen of the other"
Two other varieties entirely distinct in
appearance from those mentioned are the
Paris Picking and the Giant Pera.
What the product of an acre would be or
should be in the small sizes suitable for
picking we have no idea, but from quota
tion of prices paid the past year by an Ohio
cannery IL would appear that there is not
much money to be made out Of growing
pickling cucumbers where the canneries fix
the prices. For very small cucumoers the
price paid was so cents bushel; 40 cents
for mediums and IS cents for large ones.