THE CANADIAN HORTTCULTURIflT. 



of course, will give lettuce for table use 

 four or five weeks earlier than hot-bed 

 plants. There is one fact that should 

 be borne in mind, that is : to grow crisp 

 and tender head-lettuce, the soil must 

 be mellow and rich. One of the plea- 

 sant features of raising lettuce for 

 home use is to have it come in succes- 

 sion, and this can only be attained by 

 planting at diflfei-ent times, three or 

 four weeks apart. The way to get early 

 lettuce has been briefly outlined. The 

 later crops come from sowing the seed 

 in the open ground, in some sheltered 

 sfKJt, as early in the spring as it will 

 do to work the ground. The seed-bed 

 should be made mellow and smooth, 

 and the seed may be sown broadcast or 

 in shallow drills, covered veiy lightly 

 by raking over the bed with a wooden 

 rake, drawing the rake in the direction 

 of the di-ills. The latter method is 

 preferable, from the fact that, while 

 the plants are small, the spaces between 

 the rows may be disturbed with a hoe, 

 and the growth of the plants hastened, 

 as well as the weeds kept down. 



There is now a long list of varieties, 

 and, unless one hiis had some experience 

 in raising lettuce, it is rather difficult 

 to choose and not make an error in the 

 choice. Among the very best soi-ts to 

 select for family use, one that is widely 

 and favorably known is the " Early 

 Curled 'Simpson." This lettuce ii a 

 favorite with market gardeners, and is 

 extensively grown in the vicinity of 

 New York for that market. When 

 planted on rich ground it grows into 

 a large head, that on the table will be 

 found crisp, tender and of good quality. 

 Another and very exc^illent variety is 

 the " Hanson " lettuce, which groww to 

 a largo size, forming a solid head, crisp 

 and of fine flavor, and very popular 

 among the consumers. " Tennis Ball," 

 '* Boston Market," " Early Butter," and 

 other sorts, are i)ri2ed on the table, 

 when grown on ground that is in good 



heart. There is neither profit nor 

 pleasure in attempting to grow lettuce 

 on poor, thin soil. In planting in the 

 garden, set the lettuce one foot apart 

 each way, and then keep the ground 

 mellow and free from weeds — Ame'*"ican 

 Garden. 



GAS TAR WATER FOR INSECTS. 



BV D. M. DEWKY, BOCHE8TEB, K. Y 



In conversation to-day with a farmer 

 mend, I got from him what I think 

 every planter should know. As he is 

 a reliable man, I give you his state- 

 ment, believing you will confer a favor 

 on many of your readers by publish- 

 ing it : 



Gas Tar Water Sure Death to Potato 

 Bugs. Mr. S. R. Hart, of Brighton, 

 N. Y., near Rochester, has for two 

 years pa«t used on his potato vines 

 water which has been impregnated 

 with gas tar. One gallon of gas tar in 

 a tifb, and fill the tub with water ; stir 

 it up well, and let the tar settle. Then 

 sprinkle the vines with the water from 

 a sprinkling pot. This has proven 

 more effective than Paris green. He 

 has also tried it on currant bushes, and 

 finds it equally effective. It is inex- 

 pensive and perfectly reliable, and will 

 prove equally sure deuth to insects of 

 every kind on trees. This gas tar can 

 be had at 75 cents a gallon, and one 

 gallon would suffice for many aores of 

 })otatoes or a nursery for the season. 

 I give you this information believing 

 your readers will find it a gi*eat de- 

 sideratum in these days of insect peste. 



It hji8 long been known that tar ap- 

 plied to trees destroys the worms ; but 

 until now there has been no method of 

 applyiuf]; it to shrubbery or vines. Gas 

 tjir possesses chemical ])roj)erties not 

 found in ordinary tar. Water, strongly 

 impregnated with gas tjir, is found to 

 be sure <1">0> fn injects, worms and 

 bugs. 



