216 VEGETABLE FORCING 



for greater uniformity for planting in the beds and also 

 for marketing. 



Space may be utilized more economically by using 

 pots, to some extent at least, in the starting of plants. 

 For example, instead of transferring plants from flats, in 

 which they have been grown 2 by 2 inches apart, to per- 

 manent beds, another intermediate shift may be made to 

 2-inch or 2^-inch pots and the pots plunged between 

 plants in the permanent beds, for about two weeks. This 

 plan is most suitable for houses in which the lettuce is 

 set not less than 8 inches apart each way in the per- 

 manent beds. The pots should be plunged in the soil up 

 to their rims, and then they will not dry out to any con- 

 siderable extent. They may be placed 4 inches apart one 

 way, as shown in the following diagram, L denoting the 

 lettuce plants just set and P the pots of smaller plants : 



P P P P P P P 



L P L P L P L 



When this plan is followed, the potted plants, when 

 removed to permanent beds in two weeks after the plung- 

 ing, will produce marketable heads, under favorable con- 

 ditions, in four to six weeks, the length of time depending 

 on the amount of sunshine. With a week or two of a 

 saving on each crop, it will be seen that this method 

 means the gaining of an additional crop during the winter 

 forcing season. It is some trouble, of course, and re- 

 quires an outlay for pots and labor, but as a business 

 proposition, it is worthy of careful consideration. 



Planting distances. There is the widest range in plant- 

 ing distances used by different growers. Tennis Ball is 

 generally planted 8 by 8. Big Boston may be grown at 



