131 Vegetable Growing in Southern Arizona. 



of April comes they may be set out three to four feet apart each 

 way. If watered and cultivated frequently, they will now grow 

 rapidly, and will produce fruit through the summer. 



Varieties. But one variety is grown extensively — the New 

 York Improved Large Purple. 



LETTUCE. 



Cult uvc. Lettuce is a very easily grown vegetable during 

 the cool part of the year in southern Arizona, but does not endure 

 the summer heat. It will grow in a great variety of soils, but 

 prefers a rich, mellow one. The principal difficulty is in getting 

 the seed to germinate. Being small, it must be covered lightly, 

 and consequently soon dries out unless watered frequently. When 

 the young plants are once established, they grow rapidly. For a 

 fall crop the seed should be sown under cover, that the young 

 plants may be protected from the heat of the sun. Sowings may 

 begin during the latter part of July, and the young plants set out 

 four to six inches apart during September. During the latter 

 month seed may be sown in the open ground, and sowings may 

 continue until February. The seed row should be placed near a 

 furrow through which water is to run frequently. The soil be- 

 tween the rows should be kept mellow and free from weeds. When 

 the plants are well established, the heading varieties should be 

 thinned to four to six inches apart. Other varieties may be thin- 

 ned by beginning their use early. 



Varieties. All varieties can be grown with more or less 

 success in our climate, but some are so much better than others 

 that it is well to grow the best. Most persons prefer a head let- 

 tuce. The best variety of this type grown at the Station farm has 

 been Henderson's New York. It produces very solid heads of a 

 good size and remains in season about three months in cool weath- 

 er. The earliest variety of head lettuce we have tested is the 

 Golden Queen, but the heads are rather small and its season is 

 short. A very popular and fairly satisfactory variety is the Im- 

 proved Hanson. Other good varieties are Boston Market, Den- 

 ver Market, Iceberg, Deacon, California Cream Butter, Prize 

 Head, Salamander and Wonderful. The latter variety is much 

 prized by some growers. 



