No. 7. 



Cultivation of Lettuce. 



225 



Ou the Cultivation of Lettuce, so as 

 to produce successive Crops the year 

 through. 



Ey J. W. Russell, Newton, Mass. 



As lettuce is more or less used in every 

 flimily, the mode of obtaining- it in the 

 greatest perfection, throughout the year, in 

 regular succession, may not be unacceptable 

 to a portion of your readers. 



Lettuce is grown in considerable quanti- 

 ties for the market, and fine heads may be 

 obtained nearly the winter through ; in the 

 months of December and January, owing to 

 our severe weather, it cannot be grown as 

 large as it can in the climate of England, 

 without too much care and expense; but 

 later, when hot-beds do not suffer from ex- 

 treme frost, it may be had in th(3 greatest 

 perfection. Notwithstanding lettuce may 

 be found in the market of such excellence, 

 few individuals, except market gardeners, 

 understand its cultivation during the winter, 

 and on this account many gentlemen are de- 

 prived of this desirable vegetable during 

 that season, when it adds so much to the 

 luxury of the table. 



The following remarks are the results of 

 several years cultivation of lettuce, both for 

 private use and for the market ; and if the 

 directions are carefully followed, others may 

 be equally successful. 



Seledion of sorts. — There are a few 

 leading points to be strictly adhered to, and 

 which ought not to be overlooked, if lettuce 

 of a superior quality is the object of the cul 

 tivator. The Tennisball, Royal Capo, and 

 Green Curled Silesia, are probably the best 

 for spring use ; the Imperial (true) is the 

 most worthy of the cultivator's trouble, in 

 order to have a good supply through the 

 summer; and the Green Cabbage, or hardy 

 Hammersmith, for the winter crop. It is of 

 the greatest importance to obtain the seed 

 true to the name, and not hybridized ; what 

 makes the careful selection of the seed of 

 so much consequence is, that all the care 

 and labour bestowed on the culture of the 

 plants, if raised from spurious seed, ap- 

 proach very nearly to labour lost. It is well 

 known, although not so universally as could 

 be wished, that a great portion of the varie- 

 ties enumerated in catalogues, are not worth 

 growing in this climate; the Cos lettuce, so 

 much cultivated in England, and deservedly 

 so, is rarely ever- seen in our markets ; in 

 fact, all the hybrid varieties, raised from the 

 Cos and Cabbage lettuces, being intermixed, 

 will not generally bo such as would give 

 satisfaction m this country, and more espe- 

 cially if the variety partakes most of the 



Cos parent. Observe, therefore, to procure 

 choice seed of responsible seedsmen. 



Compost for the plants. — A light, rich, 

 friable soil, and old hot-bed manure, — or 

 manure that is as near as can be of the 

 same nature, — well blended together, will 

 ensure success; for framing, the compost 

 should be an equal quantity of manure and 

 earth; this is the secret of obtaining fine 

 lettuce ; for wherever extra fine lettuce is 

 found, extra culture produced it. For open 

 air culture, the ground, however rich it may 

 be in appearance, if not by the recent appli- 

 cation of manure, ought to have a bountiful 

 dressing, which sliould be dug in about three 

 inches below the surface ; but before this 

 the ground should have been in fine condi- 

 tion, either by deep ploughing or digging; 

 the reason why the manure should not be 

 buried deeper than proposed is, that the 

 roots may take hold of it at once, and that 

 the plants may make a rapid and luxuriant 

 growth. 



Sowing the sreJ. — To have a regular 

 succession throughout the year, several sow- 



gs will be necessary. The first, or spring 

 crop, should be planted from the 15th of 

 February to the 1st of March; the second, 

 or summer crop, during April ; and succes- 

 sive sowings in June and August. For the 

 last, or winter crop, the 15th to the 30th of 

 September, is the proper period. The seeds 

 generally appear the fourth or fifth day, and 

 the first transplanting should take place ten 

 or twelve days subsequent to their appear- 

 ance. 



Cultivation of the Spring Crop. — Early 

 in February prepare a small hot-bed, unless 

 one is already made up for cucumber.s, and 

 the seed of the Tennisball, or Royal Cape, 

 may be planted in flower-pots or boxes. It 

 must be borne in mind that only a moderate 

 heat is required for starting the plants from 

 seed. Six inches from the glass is a proper 

 distance for the young plants; give all the 

 light possible through the day, and air every 

 day that the weather will admit of it; the 

 frame must be well secured from frost, 

 which would destroy the plants, and it 

 should be covered every night as long- as 

 the cold freezing weather lasts. The plants 

 will require to be twice transplanted — first, 

 from the seed-pots or boxes, about three 

 inches apart each way, in order to become 

 strong, healthy plants, for their final re- 

 moval to the beds where they are to remain. 

 This may appear to those persons not al- 

 ready acquainted with the process, to be su- 

 perfluous ; however, it is the only way to 

 succeed. The final transplanting out into 

 frames, should take place as soon as the 

 plants are ready, — if the Tennisball and 



