MUSTARD, DANDELION, AND MINTS. 143 



southern-grown product, make it unprofitable. Only now 

 and then is a man found who is able to make frame- 

 grown spinach pay. We have grown it in the forcing- 

 house, and find that it forces readily with the same tem- 

 perature and treatment which are given to lettuce. 



Mustard. Any of the pot-herb mustards are easily 

 grown in a lettuce or carnation house. One of the best 

 types is the Chinese mustard. This makes an attractive 

 edging to chrysanthemum or lily beds. The seeds are 

 sown where the plants are to stand, although they may 

 be sown in pots or flats and the plants transplanted to 

 their permanent quarters. 



Dandelion. This plant is grown somewhat extensively 

 in the open in parts of the eastern states, particularly 

 about Boston, for greens. It is also occasionally forced. 

 Spring-sown plants are lifted in the fall and transplanted 

 to a cool house. The leaves should be ready for cutting 

 by the holidays. As soon as the cutting is completed, 

 the crowns are thrown out and the bed or bench is used 

 for other crops. The French improved varieties are the 

 kinds of dandelions to be grown. The crop of these 

 may be followed by lettuce, White Spine cucumbers or 

 radishes. 



Mints of various kinds are readily grown in cool 

 houses, such as are adapted to lettuce and violets. The 

 species most commonly grown are sage and spearmint 

 (Hfcntha viridis], for which there is generally a good de- 

 mand, in eastern cities, at Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

 Sods of the sage or mint may be dug and placed directly 

 in the house, care being taken to cut the sods very deep, 

 and not to break them in the transfer. Better results are 

 obtained, however, by planting the mint permanently in a 

 solid bed, and covering it over with sash at forcing time. 

 Heating pipes should be laid alongside the bed. From 

 six to eight weeks are required to bring the mint to cut- 

 ting size. 



