194 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 
first, in a shaded bed out-of-doors; the seedlings 
transplanted, as with spring lettuce, to flats or an- 
other bed. By the last week in September these 
will be ready to go into the beds prepared for them, 
setting them about six inches apart for the loose 
and eight for the heading varieties. The bed 
should be well drained, so that the soil will 
never stay soggy after watering. The soil should 
be kept fairly dry, as too much moisture is apt to 
cause rot, especially with the heading sorts. 
Syringe occasionally on the brightest days, in the 
morning. Keep the surface of the bed stirred until 
the leaves cover it. Keep the temperature below 
fifty at night, especially just after planting, and while 
maturing. And watch sharply for the green aphis, 
which is the most dangerous insect pest. If to- 
bacco fumigation is used as a preventive, as sug- 
gested, they will not put in an appearance. The 
first heads will be ready by Thanksgiving, and a 
succession of plants should be had by making small 
sowings of seed every two or three weeks. If the 
same bed is used for the new crops, liquid manure, 
with a little dissolved soda nitrate, will be helpful. 
If a night temperature of sixty degrees can be 
assured in part of the house, tomatoes and cucum- 
bers may also be had all winter. If the house is 
only a general purpose one, held at a lower tempera- 
ture than that, they may still be had months before 
the crop outside by starting them so as to follow 
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