CHAPTER XIV 

 LETTUCE 



Most of the forced lettuce sold in the city markets 

 previous to 1888 was grown almost exclusively in hot- 

 beds and coldframes. About this time greenhouse con- 

 struction became active, and the development of the 

 industry has surpassed the expectations of the most opti- 

 mistic of the pioneer growers. W. W. Rawson of Boston, 

 Mass., was the most conspicuous of the eastern 

 horticulturists who were producing head lettuce in green- 

 houses for a number of years previous to 1890. Eugene 

 Davis of Grand Rapids, Mich., is the pioneer western 

 grower. He added to his range from year to year until 

 he was one of the most extensive growers in the West. 

 He is the originator of the Grand Rapids lettuce, and this 

 accomplishment has won for him the distinction which he 

 so well deserves, for it is practically the only variety 

 grown in greenhouses from central Pennsylvania west- 

 ward. The history of lettuce forcing in the United States 

 has been closely associated with the growing of other 

 crops under glass, particularly cucumbers and tomatoes. 

 See Chapter I. 



Importance. Lettuce is unquestionably our most im- 

 portant vegetable forcing crop. It is seldom that a large 

 commercial establishment attempts the forcing of other 

 crops without planting lettuce at some period during the 

 season. In hundreds of ranges the usual custom is to 

 plant lettuce in the fall and continue its culture until the 

 winter is well advanced, and then to grow tomatoes or 

 cucumbers when weather conditions are more favorable. 

 Profits can generally be realized from lettuce throughout 

 the forcing season, but this cannot be said of either the 

 tomato or cucumber, except when growers are unusually 



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