166 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1892. 



too early they become partially stunted and do not make as large 

 nice heads ; seed should be sown in open ground as soon as it 

 can be worked, this crop will make close connections with the 

 one started under glass, and by sowing at intervals of ten days 

 or two weeks a supply can be had all summer ; to get nice let- 

 tuce in July and August it must be grown on cool moist ground 

 as it will not stand the heat of dry early ground. 



This fine vegetable has like many others grown in favor very 

 rapidily during the last ten years ; it is a very hardy vegetable 

 as regards temperature but is subject to various diseases that 

 render it difficult to grow to perfection under glass except to 

 those well skilled in the business, and even the best growers are 

 sometimes sufferers from rot or burning. According to my ex- 

 perience and observation there are various causes which pro- 

 duce these results, otherwise the cause could be determined and 

 a remedy applied. The weather of course has much to do with 

 producing a healthy or unhealthy growth. If bright sunny 

 weather could be had at all times it would be comparatively easy 

 to grow the crop to perfection, but as the weather is beyond our 

 control we must make the other conditions as favorable as possi- 

 ble. As the teamster must gauge his load according to the 

 hardest part of the road, so the gardener must make the conditions 

 of soil and heat such as will be reasonably sure to carry his crop 

 through cold stormy weather in good condition. Among the 

 many causes of rot and mildew too much heat and consequent 

 rapid growth is the most fruitful. It has been said that, " Keep 

 the feet warm and the head cool," is a rule that applies to the 

 vegetal)le as well as the human family and this is undoubtedly 

 true ; but in regard to lettuce it is very easy to overdo the mat- 

 ter in regard to warming the feet, while in the colder weather it 

 will hardly do to let much of the ice cold air on the plants ; 

 this troul)le can be obviated somewhat by laying the mats along- 

 side the bed after the sash is raised, this will allow the surplus 

 heat to pass off and prevent the wind blowing direct upon the 

 lettuce. In growing lettuce or any other crop it is well to con- 

 sider somewhat the natural conditions under which it does the 

 best and lettuce it is well-known belongs to the spring and early 

 summer, and grows to perfection when the soil is only moder- 



