LETTUCE 205 



skillful and markets are highly satisfactory. Lettuce, 

 too, can be grown and sold at prices which all classes of 

 consumers are able to pay. It is sometimes called "the 

 poor man's crop," in comparison with winter tomatoes 

 and cucumbers, which, in order that a profit may be 

 realized, must be sold at prices which class them as lux- 

 uries. This statement, of course, does not apply to late 

 spring and early summer greenhouse vegetables. The 

 demand for lettuce is at all times so large that it generally 

 forms the backbone of greenhouse crop rotations. 



Again, lettuce may be forced in a great variety of struc- 

 tures. It appeals not only to the greenhouse man who 

 may be farming acres under glass, but it is equally popu- 

 lar with the smaller frame growers. Its habits of growth, 

 temperature requirements, soil adaption and market de- 

 mands give it first place among all the crops which are 

 grown in greenhouses, hotbeds and coldframes. 



Quality. High quality in lettuce is essential to the 

 grower as well as to the consumer. It increases demands, 

 and larger demands mean better prices. It is urgently 

 important for every commercial grower to do whatever 

 is necessary to produce the highest quality. The success 

 of the whole industry requires this if satisfactory profits 

 are to be realized. 



But what is quality and how is it to be obtained? There 

 are differences of opinion as to what constitutes quality, 

 but we are generally agreed on the following points: 



(1) The leaves should be crisp, tender and succulent; 



(2) the flavor should be sweet rather than bitter; (3) the 

 heads should be firm, and this is especially important 

 with compact heading varieties; (4) the heads should be 

 clean and free from green aphis and injuries of insects and 

 diseases ; (5) the color should be light green rather than 

 dark green. 



High quality may be obtained by growing the best 

 strains of the best varieties. Insufficient attention is given 

 to this matter. Moderately rapid, continuous growth is a 



