Page:How and what to grow in a kitchen garden of one acre (IA howwhattogrowin00darl).pdf/94

 be thinned out to only three or four plants in a hill. The first planting should not be made before the middle of May, for they will not stand cold. The cucumbers should be picked as soon as they attain sufficient size and before the seeds become developed or hard; this should be done every morning while it is still cool, and the cucumbers placed in a cool collar. The very best way is to put them in the water in a cool spring-house; there is no place where melons, squashes and cucumbers retain their freshness and crisp, fine flavor so fully as in such a spring. If the picking is carefully attended to and all the fruit picked off as soon as large enough, the vines will continue to grow and bear all summer, especially if they are in a rather shady situation, such as among the sweet corn. A few fine specimens may be allowed to ripen for seed, but if many are left the vines will dry up and die as soon as they have ripened a crop. Where a quantity of small pickles are wanted, the best way is to make a planting about the first week in August or latter part of July. These will produce. large quantities if the ground is rich, and will continue to bear until killed by frost. Like the summer crop, they should be picked every day or two, and as soon as they are of the size desired, as they will bear a great many more if not allowed to grow large; also the smaller the pickle the more attractive it is, and the more readily it sells.