The art of promoting the growth of the cucumber and melon in a series of directions for the best means to be adopted in bringing them to a complete state of perfection

Excerpt

Having, when young, imbibed a particular inclination to study the culture of the cucumber and melon, under the direction of my father, whose character as an early framer was in high repute, I assiduously tried every experiment which was calculated to improve upon his system, by bringing them to a more complete state of perfection.

In marking the progress of their growth, I usually committed to writing those plans which I had found to have been productive of beneficial effects. The result of these remarks has proved the compilation of the following treatise, undertaken at the request of several horticulturists, who have expressed their desire to become acquainted with the process of my mode of cultivation.

Considering it superfluous to enlarge this work by unnecessary or controversial observations, I have confined myself entirely to those directions, upon which I have uniformly acted; and have endeavoured to reduce them into as plain and simple a form as possible; at the same time observing to omit nothing which can be of utility in this difficult and hitherto imperfectly understood branch of horticulture.

Several gardeners, who are now very eminent in their profession, have placed themselves under my tuition, and I flatter myself are perfectly satisfied that the instruction they received, was fully adequate to the compensation required; and perfectly convinced them of the superiority of my mode of culture. I here pledge myself, that the advice given to such practitioners is contained in the following directions.

My principal object in the different experiments I have tried, has always been to discover an easy, as well as a certain method of maturing these delicate plants, and, in consequence, have avoided, as much as possible, any artificial means that might be attended with difficulty or expense.

The only writer I know upon this subject, with the exception of Abercrombie, whose system is now totally exploded, is Mr. M'Phail, gardener to Lord Hawkesbury. This gentleman published a treatise in the year 1795, in which he strenuously recommends brick pits for cucumbers and melons, as far superior to the dung bed. It will be obvious, however, to every person who has perused that work, that the plan was adopted merely through deficiency of knowledge in the proper management of the dung bed; for Mr. M'Phail asserts, that upon first attempting to produce early cucumbers in Lord Hawkesbury's garden, he completely failed, and was, in consequence, induced to apply to some horticulturist in the neighbourhood, to whom he paid a gratuity of five guineas for his instruction. The principal thing he appears to have been taught, was to keep the burning heat of the dung about the roots of the plants down by the continual application of water into the bed; which, however, he found insufficient to preserve them in a thriving state, throughout the winter months. This caused him to assert that it was out of the power of any person to keep a dung bed sweet, and consequently impracticable to rear them at that time of the year. To this I have only to observe, that the following directions will prove a contradiction; for if they are strictly attended to, no fear need be entertained of their vigorous growth, either from the premature season, or the inclemency of the weather.

In December and January, although their health is certain, I must allow that they do not grow so fast as in other months; and this is the particular time when difficulty is experienced by those who are unacquainted with the proper means to be adopted, although, perhaps, their efforts may have been attended with far more trouble than the rules here prescribed....