WILD LETTUCE 33 



Its specialh^ characteristic feature is the pres- 

 ence of a row of soft prickles along the edges 

 of the leaf and a row down the midrib beneath. 

 There are also a few^ prickles scattered over 

 the stem, particularly the lower portion. 

 With these exceptions the plant is smooth. 

 These prickles are from an eighth to a quarter 

 inch long, and although scarcely stiff enough 

 to penetrate the flesh, yet give the plant a 

 rough and disagreeable character w^hen hand- 

 led. The juice of the plant is milky. 



The prickly lettuce is a native of southern 

 Europe, northern Africa, and the temperate 

 part of middle Asia. At the present time it 

 occurs as a w^eed in nearly all arable parts of 

 Europe and Asia, except the colder regions. 

 In England and northern Europe it is onh^an 

 occasional w^eed along roadsides and in waste 

 places, and is not troublesome to the culti- 

 vator. 



Prickh^ lettuce made its advent in this 

 countr\^ not far from thirt3'-five years ago ; 

 the exact date and place have not yet been 

 ascertained. It is supposed to have come in 

 with packing, ballast and other wastage. So 

 far as can be inferred from available data, the 

 plant gained a foothold in some Atlantic port. 

 After having become established it was car- 

 ried to the larger cities of the West, and from 

 them scattered in all directions by the rail- 



