LETTUCE. 345 



tender, if grown in cool, moist weather. A poor soil, and a 

 hot, dry exposure, may produce a small, tolerable lettuce 

 early in spring, or late in autumn : but if sown in such situa- 

 tions during the summer months, it will soon run to seed, 

 and prove nearly, if not entirely, worthless for the table. 

 The richer the soil may be, and the higher its state of culti- 

 vation, the larger and finer will be the heads produced ; and 

 the more rapidly the plants are grown, the more tender and 

 brittle will be their quality. 



Propagation. It is always grown from seeds, which are 

 small and light ; half an ounce being sufficient to sow a nur- 

 sery-bed of nearly a hundred square feet. It is necessary 

 that the ground should be well pulverized and made smooth 

 before it is sown, and the seeds should not be covered more 

 than a fourth of an inch deep. 



Cultivation. Some recommend sowing where the plants 

 are to remain, in drills from ten to fifteen inches apart, 

 and thinning the plants to nearly the same distance in the 

 lines ; adapting the spaces between the drills, as well as be- 

 tween the plants in the drills, to the habit and size of the 

 variety in cultivation. Others recommend sowing in a small 

 nursery-bed, and transplanting. The process of transplant- 

 ing unquestionably lessens the liability of the plants to run 

 to seed, and produces the largest and finest heads. The first 

 sowing in the open ground may be made as soon in March 

 or April as the frost leaves the ground ; and, if a continued 

 supply is desired, a sowing should afterwards be made, at 

 intervals of about four weeks, until September. 



Forcing. Lettuce is now served at table the year round ; 

 not, of course, of equal excellence at all seasons. Sowings 

 are consequently required for each month ; those intended 

 for the spring supply are made from December to February, 

 about twelve weeks being required for its full development 

 when reared in the winter months. The seed is sown rather 



