February 24, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



141 



WEEKLY CALENDAR. 



LETTUCES, AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 



T would be difficult to ascertain the beginning 

 or the end of the Lettuce season, for Lettuces 

 can be produced at all times, the time of 

 sowing having everything to do with the 

 coming in of the crop. I will commence with 

 the August sowings, or those calculated to 

 furnish the winter and spring supply of 

 salading. 



WINTER AND SPRING LETTUCES. 



Wheeler's Tom Thumb. — A very dwarf, small, but good- 

 hearting sort, crisp and good. It may be called a dwarf 

 Malta, and, like it, is not hardy enough to stand our ordi- 

 nary winters : nevertheless it is one of the very best for 

 frames and hand-glasses. 



Dickson's All the Yea- Round. — Larger than the pre- 

 ceding, but of very compact growth. It hearts well, and 

 is very solid, tender, and crisp. It is one of the very best 

 all the year round. It does not stand the winter unpro- 

 tected, except in mild winters and sheltered situations. 



Dickson's Hardy Winter. — This is a very superior va- 

 riety of the Hardy Green, or Hammersmith, and is more 

 hardy and compact, and forms a good heart. It is the 

 best of all the winter and spring kinds, withstanding our 

 ordinary winters well. 



The above are Cabbage Lettuces. 



Bath Cos (Black-seeded). — Very hardy, and having no 

 equal for standing the winter. It attains a large size, 

 hearts well, and when tied up, as it ought to be. it is white, 

 crisp, and of excellent flavour. Some object to it on ac- 

 count of its brown leaves, but this objection is removed by 

 tying up so as to blanch them. 



These are all the winter kinds which need be grown. If 

 there are any better I should be glad to know their names, 

 as I believe I have grown every kind of Lettuce, both 

 Cabbage and Cos, winter and summer, and I have found 

 none equal to those named for winter and spring use, and 

 those which I shall name for summer and autumn salading. 



The 1st of August, dig and well pulverise the ground 

 intended for the seed bed, choosing an open situation, and 

 tolerably rich soil. Tread the ground firmly after digging, 

 as if you were intending to sow Onions, and then rake 

 level. Scatter the seed regularly and thinly, and cover 

 with soil from the alleys. If we could make sure of all 

 the seeds growing, they might safely be placed half an inch 

 apart, and very advantageously, as nothing is so much 

 against the plants doing well as their being crowded ia 

 the seed bed. If the weather be dry, water as required, 

 so as to secure speedy germination and the free growth 

 of the plants. For this sowing, Tom Thumb and All the 

 Year Round are the kinds I like best. 



At the end of August a bed of rather littery dung should 

 be made up, shaking it out evenly, and beating it lirm. 

 It need not be more than 1 foot high in front, and 18 inches 

 high at back. This bed ought to be made on a hard 

 bottom, and the situation, though open, should be sheltered 

 from the north, east, and west. The frame should be put 



No. 465,-Vol. XVIII., New Series. 



on, and in a week take it off. level the bed, replace the 

 frame, and put 6 or 8 inches of soil in the frame. Any 

 moderately rich rather light loam is suitable. Let it be 

 placed evenly over the surface, and in the course of another 

 week the plants may be put out in lines li inches apart, 

 allowing the same distance between the plants. This 

 amount of space will answer very well for Tom Thumb, 

 but All the Year Round should be allowed 9 inches be- 

 tween the rows. Water, put on the lights, and shade the 

 plants from bright sun until they become again established ; 

 then remove the lights altogether, still having them in 

 readiness to ward off frost and heavy rains which may 

 occur in October or November, and if the nights are very 

 severe, a covering of mats should be given to ward off 

 frost. The lights should be drawn off whenever the exter- 

 nal temperature exceeds 4U C , admitting ah - at other times 

 when above freezing by tilting the lights at their back. The 

 plants should be frequently examined, and the soil lightly 

 stirred between the rows, every yellow and decayed leaf 

 being removed as it appears. 



When frosty weather sets in — in November or Decem- 

 ber — and continues during the day as well as night, the 

 sides of the frames must have dry litter placed against 

 them, but not of a kind likely to ferment, and this will 

 keep the frost from entering by the sides of the frame ; 

 and to protect the lights, put on a covering of mats, and 

 over that a sufficiency of straw to keep out frost, the ma- 

 terials being allowed to overhang the frame about 6 inches 

 all round. The frame should not be opened as long as the 

 temperature is below 33 c , nor need the protecting material 

 be removed as long as the frost continues day and night ; 

 but at all times when the temperature is above 32°, the 

 protection should be removed, and every opportunity taken 

 to admit air ; when practicable remove the lights, for 

 nothing is so beneficial as a thorough airing. If the frost 

 should enter the frame do not uncover until the plants are 

 thoroughly thawed. No water must be given after Octo- 

 ber, unless the soil become very dry, then water, but with- 

 out wetting the surface much. 



If all go on well there will be nice Lettuces with com- 

 pact heads and hearts in November and December, the 

 Tom Thumb being the first fit for use, and with proper 

 care as above, a few frames will afford a supply through- 

 out the winter. Eveiy alternate plant and row should be 

 taken out : this will give the plants more room to grow, 

 and standing further apart the soil can he kept sweeter by 

 stirring, and air more freely admitted to the plants. The 

 first cuttings or thinnings will furnish the supply for a 

 long time. The frames must be good, and the lights 

 glazed, so as to be drip-proof. It is useless attempting to 

 have winter Lettuces without such appliances. A frame 

 'J feet by G feet will hold 3.- 1 plants of Tom Thumb at 

 4$ inches apart every way, and one of the same size filled 

 with All the Year Round at fj inches apart. 216. Allow- 

 ing ten for each salad, including casualties or losses, each 

 frame will afford a month's supply, so that we ma} r calcu- 

 late how many frames to plant to keep up a supply from 

 November to March inclusive. 



About the 15th of August the principal out- door spring 

 No, 1117. -Voi,. XLIII., Old Series. 



