352 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



and over them, prevents them being severely crippled, and so kept later 

 in being fit for use. 



In March, a rich piece of ground on an east or west border, well 

 enriched and deeply dug, is prepared whereon to plant every other 

 plant from the wall -border. Those transplanted plants are lifted 

 with a small ball of earth and planted a foot apart each way, so 

 leaving those from which they are thinned at the same distance. The 

 moved plants form a succession to those allowed to remain on the 

 earliest aspect. When the thinning -out is completed, fork up the 

 surface with a steel fork, and give copious supplies of water in warm 

 weather. On light dry soil a mulching of manure is of great service. 

 A Lettuce that is allowed to become leathery and bitter is amongst the 

 most distasteful things a garden can supply, while a highly- cultivated 

 crisp one is among the most acceptable. Those who can afford to cover 

 part of those by the wall-side with hand-glasses, as the French do with 

 cloches, will of course be favoured with much earlier Lettuces. 

 When the genuine variety of the Hardy Brown Cos is procured, they 

 rarely ever require being tied up to blanch them properly, unless it 

 be a few at first for the purpose of getting these blanched as early as 

 possible. This variety of Lettuce, when well blanched outdoors in 

 May, we have always regarded as amongst the most crisj) and pleasant- 

 flavoured grown. 



To keep up an unbroken succession, it is necessary to sow more seed 

 in heat, to be forwarded, so as to come in before those transplanted 

 from the bottoms of walls are over. About the middle or end of 

 February sow either in boxes or in a bed of soil where a temperature 

 of 60° can be had. When large enough to handle, and before they 

 become in any way drawn, prick up into frames about 2 inches apart 

 each way. About a couple of feet of tree-leaves trodden into the 

 frame and 4 inches of light rich soil answer this purpose well. As 

 soon as they begin to grow freely more and more air should be given, 

 until the lights are taken off entirely for a while before being 

 planted out. When planted out, a portion of them is put on an early 

 south aspect, and a portion on a later exposure, so as to form a 

 succession. Rich soil, and in all respects liberal culture, are necessary 

 for them. At the time the early sowing is put in in heat, a sowing is 

 put in on an early border under hand-glasses, or in a cold frame, to 

 form a succession to those sown in warmer quarters. Eor these two 

 sowings I prefer the Paris White Cos, which is in all respects a superb 

 Lettuce. 



To keep up an incessant supply of Lettuce all summer and autumn 

 it is necessary to sow at intervals of ten or fourteen days. And in 

 England more particularly, where the summers are hotter and Lettuce 



