VEGETABLES — LETTUCE. 161 



flower, which arc set at 2 feet apart. The Lettuce matures 

 its crop in half the time that it takes for the Cabbage, and 

 is consequently all cut off and marketed before the Cabbage 

 is half grown. If it were not so, they could not be both 

 grown at once on the same ground, for, when the Cabbage 

 crop attains its growth, it requires the full space allowed 

 — 2 feet — for its development. 



This early crop of Lettuce from the open ground is con- 

 sidered rather an auxiliary than a main one, it meets with 

 a rapid sale at an average of $1.50 per 100 heads. Rath- 

 er a low price it may be thought ; but growers, having 

 only ten acres of ground, not unfrequently plant over 

 100,000 heads. It is planted somewhat closer than Cab- 

 bage, usually about 15,000 per acre. For succession crops 

 of Lettuce, sowings may be made in the open ground as 

 early as spring opens, until July. When not planted be- 

 tween Cabbage, they are set at 1 foot apart each way. 

 They are sold to some extent throughout the whole sum- 

 mer, but the great weight of the crop is sold about the 

 first week of June, in New York markets. The summer 

 price of Lettuce is very variable, as the supply is often 

 irregular — it may average $2 per 100. 



The varieties of Lettuce used for the different purposes 

 of forwarding and forcing, and for out-door culture in 

 spring and summer, are of more importance than with most 

 vegetables. I once lost almost my entire crop of Frame 

 Lettuce, from planting the Curled India, a summer vari- 

 ety, instead of the Curled Silesia, which I had got from a 

 well meaning but not very learned friend, whose hiero- 

 glyphics had got transposed. 



Early Curled Simpson. — This variety we place at the 



