HORTICULTURE. 957 



are sufficiently permanent to warrant a systematic classification of the 

 varieties, and that ''where both characters and names are associated 

 together for long periods, a systematic classification is just what is 

 needed to obviate confusion." Over a thousand plantings with seeds 

 from different sources were made at the station. Of the kinds of let- 

 tuce in existence none, in the opinion of the writer, satisfactorily fulfills 

 the requirements of a forcing variety. Sixty-nine varieties of lettuce 

 are described and classified according to certain botanical characters, 

 as the margin of leaves near the apex, the length of leaves as compared 

 with the width, the color of leaves and seeds, the habit of leaves in 

 regard to head formation, and the apex of leaves. An analytical key 

 to the varieties is given. 



Some experiments in forcing head lettuce, S. A. Beach (Xeiv 

 York State Sta. Bui. 116, pp. 151-179, pis. 4). — Tests of various soils 

 and fertilizers for forcing head lettuce were carried on during three 

 winters. The forcing house is described and the general treatment of 

 the crops is given with considerable detail. Salamander lettuce was 

 used in the first test and Rawson New Hothouse in the succeeding 

 tests. At first a soil mixture, which had been used for forcing lettuce 

 with good results, composed of 3 parts rotted clay loam sod, 1 part 

 sand, and 1 part stable manure, was compared with soils differing from 

 it only in containing various amounts of sand. In later tests the per- 

 centages of sand and clay loam in the soil mixtures were still further 

 varied, the sand in one case and the loam in another being omitted 

 entirely. In some tests a light, sandy loam was compared with the 

 clay loam as a basis of soil mixtures. The amounts of stable manure 

 were varied somewhat in the different tests. Commercial fertilizers in 

 varying amounts were tested in some of the soil mixtures, both in com- 

 bination with stable manure and alone. 



Several tables are given in which are presented such data as the per- 

 centages of the different ingredients of the various soil mixtures, the 

 fertilizer elements of the various mixtures and soils used as basis of 

 the mixture, the mechanical elements of the soil in the mixtures, the 

 amounts of fertilizers employed, the time required for the germination 

 of* the seeds, the percentage of germination, the size-of seedlings, the 

 time required for plants to mature, the average weight of heads, the 

 percentage of marketable heads, the amount of tip burn, the texture. 

 appearance, and firmness of heads, etc. 



The author gives the following summary of results: 



"The clay loam with a heavy application of stable manure gave the best results. 

 The light, sandy loam with heavy application of stable manure was least satisfactory. 



"On pure sand with a good dressing of stable manure the lettuce made a vigorous 

 growth, but the heads were less firm and the texture more delicate than with the 

 lettuce which was grown on the clay loam. . . . 



" On clay loam mixed with 15.5 per cent stable manure by weight a slight increase 

 in growth followed the use of nitrate of soda, but with double this application of 

 manure practically no advantage followed the use of nitrate of soda, either on the 

 clay loam or on the sandy loam. 



