110 MASSACHUSETTS HORTIOULTDRAL SOCIETY. 



It is not read}' for use until it has been blanched, which is 

 effected by tying the leaves together at the top and letting them 

 remain for a few weeks, or until whitened. 



'Leeks. — This is a somewhat peculiar member of the Onion fam- 

 ily, and is of quite eas}' culture. Sow in rows or drills in April, 

 and thin the plants to eight or ten inches in the row. As the 

 plants increase in size thej* should be earthed up, so as to blanch 

 the bulbs, which are the edible portion. They are used cliiefly 

 in soups and stews, for flavoring. There are two principal va- 

 rieties, the Musselburgii Broad Flag and the Giant Carentan. 



Lettuce. — This is one of the principal crops of the market 

 gardener, especiallj- in the winter, and is grown very extensively 

 in this vicinit} , supplying not only our own market, but to some 

 extent that of New York and also of Philadelphia. There are many 

 who devote a large number of sashes to the growing of lettuce in the 

 w'iuter season, afterward using tlie glass for cucumbers and other 

 plants in spring. There are also at the present time many houses 

 heated b}' steam, or hot water, used for growing lettuce. When I 

 built my houses it was said by some of our old and experieuced 

 market gardeners that thc}^ never would pay. But it is a note- 

 worthy fact that toda)' the same men have houses of their own, 

 and use them for the same purpose. 



Not many years ago it was thought that lettuce could not be 

 raised for less than one dollar per dozen heads ; but today we sel- 

 dom get over sevcntj'-five cents, and would like to have it average 

 as high as fifty cents, for all grown under glass. That grown in 

 the tield can be raised and soUl at a much smaller price, say fifteen 

 or twenty cents per dozen. 



There are but very few varieties grown here. The White-Seeded 

 Tennisball and Curled are chosen for forcing, and the Black- 

 Seeded Tennisball and AU-The-Year-Kound for out-door culture. 

 To have lettuce the whole season, it must be sown every ten days 

 throughout the year and twice transplanted into beds for winter ; 

 the first time four inches apart ; the second time eight inches in 

 hot-houses or seven inches in hot-beds ; which will give fifty heads 

 under each sash three feet by six. The proi)er distance for outside 

 culture is twelve inches each way. To secure this, some sow the 

 seed in rows twelve inches apart and, when the plants reach a 

 proper size, thin them out to twelve inches in tlie row ; but it is 

 better to sow in a bed and transplant to the proi)er distance. The 

 plants will usually make better heads if treated in this way. 



