226 OF ESCULENTS. SECT. >1V. 



towards the end of April, or even in May, to fland over 

 the winter tor \ate fpring ufe. 



Lettuce is a vegetable, of which there is a great 

 variety. The brown Dutch, and the green cabbage 

 lettuces come earlieft, and are moflly to be depended 

 upon to ftand the winter ; though fome other forts will, 

 except the filver cofs and white cofs. The brown and 

 the. green Egyptian cofs are excellent, being hardy and 

 large, forming clofe heads ; but the latter is earlieft. 

 The cabbage lettuce eats moderately well, but is chieflv 

 ufed in foups, &c. The Silejia lettuce is much admired 

 by fome, though at prefent but little cultivated : There 

 is a brown and green fort of it. 



For winter and fpring ufe, the hardier forts are fown 

 in July, Augujl, and September, but chiefly in Augujl, 

 when if three fowings are made, the beginning, middle, 

 and end of the mouth, it will generally be found fuf- 

 ficient. They may be fown, however, all September, 

 or even at the beginning of October, and it maybe ftand, 

 when older plants are cut off. 



Yorfummer ufe, the white cofs, and any of the others, 

 may be fown on warm borders, either in open ground, 

 6r under hand-glali'es, or other cover, in February, and 

 a little conitantly every fortnight, or three weeks after, 

 chafing cooler ground for them when hammer advances. 

 Plant them from ten to fourteen inches afunder, accord- 

 ing to the iize they attain ; it being an error to put let- 

 tuees out fo neat as many do, for it forces them to run 

 for iced, and prevents their growing large : The forts 

 called the Egyptian, and the admirable, fhould be allowed 

 eighteen inches. Lettuces may be pricker/ out very 

 young ; and when three or four inches high is the 

 belt time for planting them. 



It is not a common way, but fpring fown lettuces will 

 be forwarder and larger if fown thin, and only thinned 

 out to their proper diftance : 1 nolo that are drawn may 

 ferve for a fecond crop. 7 'he brown Dutch, green 

 capuchin, the tennis-ball, and button lettuces, do not 



run 



