Lettuce 



quite convenient, a crop should be left in the seed-bed at six inches. 

 From the frames, the supplies will be ready in time to follow those 

 from late summer sowings, and thus through the winter until the 

 frames are cleared out for the work of the spring. The frame crop 

 must have plenty of air, and be kept as hardy as possible, but with 

 moisture enough to sustain a steady healthy growth. If roughly 

 handled in the planting, or a little starved in respect of moisture, the 

 plants will rise from the centre just when they ought to begin to turn 

 in, and the first few days of warm sunshine will start them in the 

 wrong way. As to those wintered out, there are many ways of pro- 

 tecting them, and when success has crowned the effort there will 

 be a crowded plant. It will be necessary, therefore, to transplant at 

 least half the crop by lifting every other one. This must be done 

 with care, as though they were worth a guinea each. By transplant- 

 ing early in March to a piece of rich light ground in a warm spot, and 

 doing the work neatly and smartly, the result will be a valuable crop 

 of early Summer Lettuce, while those that remain will help through 

 the spring. 



Lettuces do not force well ; but as they are so constantly in 

 demand, it is a matter of importance to grow them in every possible 

 way. Nice promising plants from August and September sowings 

 may be selected from the frames, and planted on gentle hot-beds 

 from November to January, and will do well if tenderly lifted. The 

 Commodore Nutt and Golden Ball are the best of the Cabbage 

 varieties for forcing ; the Hammersmith is not worth the trouble. 

 The Cos varieties do not differ much as to forcing, none of them 

 being well adapted for the purpose ; but thre Superb White and Green 

 Cos may be brought to fine condition by taking time enough, so as 

 to make a very moderate warmth suffice. On sunny days the heat 

 should not exceed 75; but 65 is sufficient, with a night tempera- 

 ture of 45 to 50. 



One other method of providing small delicate salading may be 

 adopted to meet emergencies. On the barrows of itinerant green- 

 grocers in Paris the thinnings of Lettuce crops form part of the 

 general stock, and in this country we do not sufficiently utilise this 

 young tender stuff. But we -have now in view the use of Lettuce in 

 a still earlier stage of growth. By sowing rather thinly in boxes, kept 

 under glass, a dense growth is produced in a short time which can 

 be cut in the same manner as Mustard. One of the best White Cos 

 varieties should be sown, and the crop will make an excellent 

 component of a salad at any season of the year. 



75 



