24 The Bulletin. 



Lettuce can be grown in the South almost any month of the year 

 except in the hot months of summer, when it shoots up rapidly to seed. 

 For market purposes two crops a year are grown: a fall crop planted 

 in early fall and maturing not later than Christmas and a spring crop 

 set in late fall and maturing in March and April. For market purposes 

 in the South only the heading types of lettuce are used. It can be 

 grown in greenhouses, under sash, under cotton cover, or in the open field 

 or garden. In ISTorth Carolina and southward, owing to a mild winter 

 climate, lettuce is practically all grown under cotton cover or right in 

 the open. That grown under cover is earlier and of better quality than 

 the field-grown crop. 



FRAME CULTURE OF LETTUCE. 



Lettuce frames may be made of any desired length and width, but 

 owing to convenience in handling, two different standard sizes have 

 become common. These are the wide or double frames, which have a 

 width of 16 feet, and the single or narrow ones with a width of 9 feet. 

 The sides of the wide frames are made of rough pine boards 12 inches 

 high and 1 inch in thickness. On the narrow frames, which are used 

 especially for steam heating, the back is 21/2 feet high. It has been 

 found that in the mild climate of our commercial lettuce region there 

 is little advantage from steam forcing, and the narrow frame has been 

 largely displaced by the wide frame, which depends on the sun's heat 

 alone. For convenience in handling the covers, the frames are rarely 

 made over 100 feet in length. Two by two inch rafters 17 feet long 

 are sprung in every 4 feet to support the cover. A line of stakes is 

 put down the center of the bed to support the rafters. The covers are 

 made of "heavy domestic" cotton running three yards to the pound. 



THE SEED-BED. 



For the first or early crop of lettuce, which is to go to market from 

 December 1st to Christmas, the seed is sown from August 15th to 

 September 1st and the plants set out from September 15th to October 

 10th. For the winter crop, which goes to market in March and April, 

 the seed is sown from October 1st to 15th and the plants set from No- 

 vember 15th to December 15th. Since the weather is always mild at 

 seed-planting time, we have found it best to sow the seed in the open. 

 This gives firmer, hardier plants for transplanting than those grown 

 under cover or sash. The seed-bed is prepared in much the same 

 manner as the soil in the lettuce frames or in the field, except that it 

 requires less manure. The land for the bed is somewhat elevated or 

 crowned up, so that all surface water drains off. Its surface should be 

 thoroughly pulverized, firmed, and raked off. The seed is best sown 

 broadcast and raked lightly into the soil. It takes about two to three 

 pounds of seed to produce the plants for setting an acre. Until the 

 plants come up, it is a good plan to cover the bed with canvas or 



