LETTUCE. 



298 



LEVELLING. 



same size ; those left in the bed come in 

 first, and the others are ready to succeed 

 them. In summer, sow on a larger space, 

 and let them grow where sown. 



Blanching. Cos lettuces require tying 

 up to blanch and crisp them. To do this 

 expeditiously, provide a bundle of bast 

 matting, cut to the required length, sling 

 it round the waist, and gathering each 

 plant up, pass the hand rapidly round it. 

 In this way a score or two may be tied in 

 a few minutes. 



Varieties, One of the most hardy sorts, 

 and best for sowing at any time, is the 

 Black-seeded Bath Cos; it is very crisp, 

 and of good flavour. Another good sort 

 is the Moor Park Cos, and also the Paris 

 White Cos. Of the cabbage lettuces, one 

 of the best, especially for winter use, is the 

 Hardy Green Hammersmith ; but it is apt 

 to run in summer and autumn. The 

 Brown Dutch, Tennis-Ball, and Tom 

 Thumb Cabbage lettuces are good 

 varieties, and very hardy, the last named 

 being excellent for spring sowing. The 

 Malta, or Drum-Head Cabbage, is a fine 

 large lettuce, and good for summer use, as 

 it is not apt to run if allowed plenty of 

 room. The Neapolitan Cabbage is also 

 noteworthy for its great size and crispness. 

 The advantage of cabbage lettuces is, that 



CABBAGE LETTUCE. 



they require no tying up, which prevents 

 cos lettuces being serviceable in winter, as 

 they so soon rot off when tied ; but such 

 sorts as the London Cos, which turn in 

 without tying, may be grown advan- 

 tageously in winter. Many other sorts 



will be found named in the price lists 

 of the principal seedsmen. 



Leucojum, or Snowflake (nat. 



ord. AmaryTlidese). 



These are very pretty hardy bulbs with 

 white blossoms tipped with green, resem- 

 bling those of the snowdrop, but much 

 larger in size. Ltttcojuni (cstivuni, or 

 Summer Snowflake, flowers in May, but 

 L. ventm, the Spring Snowflake, which 



LEUCOJUM VERNUM, OK SPRING SNOWFLAKE. 



is the most valuable, blooms in March, 

 but if forced will flower/ earlier. It is 

 much prized for the sitting-room. The 

 bulbs are perfectly hardy and will grow 

 in any garden soil. They should be 

 planted in the autumn in clumps about 

 3 inches deep. 



Levelling. 



For levelling extensive tracts of country 

 for railways, canals, &c., a theodolite, 

 which is a spirit level raised on three legs 

 and furnished with a telescope, is the 

 instrument employed ; but there is no 

 necessity to do more than touch very 

 briefly on the method that is adopted for 

 levelling on a scale far larger than that 

 which is involved in laying out garden 

 ground. A quadrant is also frequently 



