No mysteries are connected with the growth of cucumbers: when the principles have been overcome, the secret of success will be self-evident. In a word, the slightest neglect or carelessness will tell quickly to their disadvantage, while unfailing vigilance will insure success. To rear summer cucumbers is easy enough, and as the fruit is most in request during the summer season, the least troublesome culture is really of the greatest importance. Seed should be sown in heat in March, and the plants grown near the light until such times as they are ready for putting out, which will be when they are strong enough to plant out on a well-prepared hot-bed, one plant to a light. With proper attention as to air-giving and watering they will grow rapidly, and very soon begin to bear. It is well to avoid shading if possible, and where air can be given freely it will not be positively needful. The vines should not be so severely pinched and pruned as is the general practice, for superior fruit cannot be produced until such time as a good plant, with a sufficiency of large and healthy leaves, can be secured.

As regards stopping the rule is simple enough; it mainly consists in pinching out the points of the side shoots, leaving one leaf in advance of the fruit; but bear in mind yon must not let all the fruits that show remain, for there will invariably be more presented than the plants can possibly mature. Very fair cucumbers may also be grown on ridges, with the assistance of a good bed of fermenting dung, covered with a three-inch coating of good light soil. As regards this variety there should be no stopping practised; they do far better without. Another system of obtaining a supply of summer cucumbers is to plant out in largo pots, filled with good turfy soil, or in a bed purposely made up for them (with a good mass of drainage material for a foundation), in a sunny greenhouse, after the bedding plants are cleared out, which will be about the latter end of May; and train the vines up the roof. They very soon present a nice appearance, and bear abundantly until such time as the house is again required for the bedding plants in October. For winter culture, it will be necessary to have a suitable house, with heating apparatus and evaporating pans to create atmospheric moisture in readiness.

These plants will necessarily have to bo raised from seeds sown in August or September, and when trained out must bo kept thin upon the trellis, to secure an ample admission of light. The winter crop should be restricted to a certain extent, or otherwise, if permitted to bear too freely, the plants will not last long. Hand-glass kinds should be sown the beginning of April, and planted out as follows: select a warm spot, where all sunshine can be enjoyed and winds excluded as much as possible; a trench four feet wide at top, three feet at bottom, and one foot in depth, may be excavated; this is to receive warm materials. Hot dung is, of course, necessary; but to economise this, and to render the heat mild and durable, weeds, grass, and tree leaves may be mixed to the extent of one-half the bulk. This should be mixed and sweated for at least a week previous to using. The trench may then be filled with this, and carried half a yard above the ground level, rounding it a little at the top. The material must be beat light with the fork as the bed is built. On the top of this holes may be made three feet apart, taking out about half a barrow of the material, and in this some coarse lumps of turfy soil may be put until level with the bed and surface.

A lighter compost may then be spread all over the bed to the depth of about six or eight inches, and the whole being raked and rounded, a flat surface may be formed the size of the glass, over every three feet square where the coarse lumps were put. On this the glass should be set, and when it is ascertained that the heat is not more than eighty degrees, the plants may be inserted. They will require but little attention afterwards, except occasional waterings and frequent admissions of fresh air, so that they do not burn. Of course the shoots must be trained out at first with little hooks, and towards midsummer - or when the glasses are getting full of shoots - the glass may be raised on three bricks placed in a triangle. Occasionally pinching may be resorted to, as in the case of framed cucumbers, but this pinching may gradually cease after the middle of July.