LETTUCE IN POTS. 99 



ble, if such soil is used, to take it from an old fence 

 row, using the sod only. It may be inferred from the 

 above that lettuce may be successfully grown on almost 

 any soil, and such is the fact, if conditions are thoroughly 

 studied and the details carefully looked after. Neverthe- 

 less, it is better to select a soil naturally adapted to the 

 purpose if possible, but in any case such artificial means 

 as composting and sub-irrigation ought not to be 

 neglected." 



Growing in pots. Good lettuce of the leafy or Grand 

 Rapids type can be grown in pots. It is a common 

 practice with gardeners to set pots of lettuce in vacant 

 places in cool houses for the purpose of utilizing the 

 room. Growing in pots is comparatively little used, 

 although now and then a grower follows this method ex- 

 tensively. A most beautiful crop of pot-grown lettuce is 

 shown in Fig. 33 (page 98). The New York State Ex- 

 periment Station has made some investigations in the pot- 

 growing of lettuce, and has published the results in Bul- 

 letin 88 (March, 1895), from which I quote : 



"The seed is sown in flats, as usual ; that is to say, in 

 boxes about 12 by 10 inches and 3 inches deep. When 

 the plants are about 2 inches high they are transplanted 

 to 2-inch pots. The benches are filled with soil, in which 

 the pots containing the lettuce are plunged so that the 

 tops of the pots are covered with about half an inch of 

 soil. 



"Soil for lettuce should not be too heavy, and as the 

 soil which we use for potting is a rather heavy clay loam, 

 sand is mixed with it in preparing it for the lettuce house. 

 The potting soil is composed of three parts by measure 

 of loam, one of manure and one of sand. The soil in 

 the pots is the same as that used on the bench, except 

 that it is sifted, while that on the bench is not. A little 

 drainage material is put in the bottom of each pot. The 

 plants are usually set on the benches about 10 inches 

 apart each way. The roots soon fill the pot and grow 

 8 FORC. 



