1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 377 



Arlington. — There were found to be twenty-three regular 

 greenhouses and four sash-houses in this town, owned by 

 twelve parties. Eighteen of these houses were heated by 

 steam and nine by hot water. Of the growers, six used 

 steam and live used hot water, and one had both. The 

 greenhouses covered about 92,000 square feet, or over two 

 acres, and the sash-houses about 8,000 square feet, or a 

 total of 100,000 square feet. In the houses the past year 

 it is estimated some 400,000 heads of lettuce were grown, 

 selling for $1.25 per dozen down, or an average of about 

 60 cents per dozen. It was largely marketed in Boston 

 and New York. In these houses it is estimated 350,000 

 cucumbers were grown, selling for from 18 cents apiece 

 down, or an average of about five cents. The cucumbers 

 were largely marketed in Boston, but when that market 

 was crowded were shipped to New York and Chicago. But 

 very little lettuce w T as grown in the sash-houses. There 

 were also some 27,000 sash used in the culture of cucum- 

 bers, and it is estimated that some 1,500,000 cucumbers 

 were grown in this way. Probably 20,000 of these sash 

 were used for lettuce, under which one, two, three and in 

 some few cases four crops of lettuce were grown. It is esti- 

 mated that 1,000,000 heads of lettuce were grown in this 

 way, and that in this town, during the past season, over 

 1,400,000 heads of lettuce and some 1,850,000 cucumbers 

 were grown under glass. 



Belmont. — There were found to be nineteen regular 

 greenhouses and seven sash-houses in this town, owned by 

 eleven parties. Ten of the greenhouses and three of the 

 sash-houses were heated by steam, and nine of the green- 

 houses and three of the sash-houses were heated by hot 

 water, while one sash-house was without artificial heating 

 apparatus. Of the growers, six used steam, four used hot 

 water and one grower had both. The greenhouses covered 

 about 78,000 square feet, or nearly two acres, and the sash- 

 houses about 20,000 square feet, or a total of 98,000 square 

 feet. In most cases two crops of lettuce w T ere grown, occu- 

 pying the houses from September to May. The cucumber 

 season was from January to August. In these houses it is 

 estimated 320,000 heads of lettuce and 275,000 cucumbers 



