LETTUCE 217 



these distances, but it should have more space for proper 

 development. Improved Keene, when sold by the dozen 

 heads, does not need more space than 6 by 6, but requires 

 more liberal spacing if large heads are desired. Cos 

 lettuce does very well planted 1 by 1. 



Regarding Grand Rapids, a well-known Cleveland 

 grower sets 7 by 9 ; the largest grower in Ohio, 9 by 9 ; 

 most Ohio growers, 8 by 8; a Johnstown, Pa., grower, 

 7 by 8 ; an Erie, Pa., grower, 6 by 8. The Ohio station 

 concluded from experiments that, all things considered, 

 7^2 by 7^2 is best. Occasionally a grower, who has a 

 demand for small heads by the dozen, plants 6 by 6. 

 When the plants are sold by number rather than by 

 weight, the tendency is to plant close together. Liberal 

 spacing is favorable to maximum weight of individual 

 heads, but more time is required to mature the crop and 

 thus obtain the maximum weight from a given area. 

 When total weight for an entire season is considered, it 

 is possible that 8 by 8 or 7 by 9 will give larger yields 

 than any other spacing, though growers differ in their 

 opinions about this matter. 



Hexagonal planting is practiced in some greenhouses. 

 This arrangement, as shown in the following diagram, 

 gives each plant an equal amount of space on all sides, 

 and more plants may be set in a given area than when 

 placed in squares. 



XX XXX 



The gain in this respect is considerable when a large 

 range is planted. Close planting is a disadvantage in 

 requiring a larger number of plants. It is surprising how 

 many more plants are required to set a bed 7 by 7 than 

 8 by 8. More space one way, as when the plants are set 



