No. 4.] MARKET-GARDEN CRORS. 151 



should be carefully spread out over the hill or ridge. If they con- 

 tinue to grow rank cut back the tops with a grass hook. Tomatoes 

 like cultivation, heat and water. Stir the ground often, ridge the soil 

 up to the plants and water if you can. Water will increase the size 

 and improve the quality of the crop. Tomatoes like a piece of new or 

 sod land, and always seem to mature earlier on that and are usually 

 smoother. Training tomatoes on a trellis or tying them to stakes is 

 a method of raising largely practiced on some farms, and is con- 

 sidered very profitable. The fruit is much smoother and brighter 

 and brings a higher price under this system. 



Lettuce. 



This is a crop most easily grown and is very profitable when the 

 market price is high. It is easily spoiled with too much manure and 

 water, too gi-eat heat or hail storms. Lettuce will not head if too 

 little manure and water are present, however good the temperature 

 may be. When the weather conditions are unfavorable only the best 

 gardeners have lettuce to sell. The land for lettuce should receive 

 about 30 cords per acre of fresh manure every year in early spring. 

 This manure must be well plowed in. I would not hesitate to plow 

 in manure at any time in the year if I thought the land needed it to 

 carry a crop. 



Lettuce is very hardy, and may be sown as early in March or Api'il 

 as the soil can be made ready. Early sown seed needs to be barely 

 covered, but later sowings may be covered about Vo inch deep. Ger- 

 mination will be found most complete when covered only ^^4 inch, but 

 it is not so easy to maintain the moisture condition favorable to the 

 crop with so small a covering late in June or July. The first sowing 

 should give the first heads fit to sell by June 10. 



Lettuce may be had in the open by May 20 if care is taken to 

 raise the plants in a hotbed and set out in the field about April 10, 

 when well hardened. The seed for such plants should be sown about 

 February 20 in a hotbed, and the young plants set over about March 

 1, putting 200 plants under each sash. Use plenty of water when 

 transplanting lettuce in the open. In the early spring season choose 

 a warm, bright day, when there is no wind, as the most favorable 

 weather conditions will make a great difference in the growth of the 

 lettuce plants. A few warm days right after setting Avill give the 

 plants a good start, and then they will stand a little hard weather. 

 Many people think there is an advantage in transplanting lettuce to 

 make it head. There is no such advantage. Proper amounts of 

 manure and water and favorable weather conditions are the most 

 important factors. 



When a crop of lettuce is well spread out, covering the ground, 

 and the ground is dry, it should be thoroughly wet down, using as 

 much as 2 or 3 inches of water. Put this water on at night by use 



