192 A HOME VEGETABLE-GARDEN 



equal to good spinach in midsummer. In a cool 

 moist summer, however, or when grown in a cool 

 moist shady spot, even in a dry year Long Sea- 

 son is almost always satisfactory. This spinach 

 will grow luxuriantly in early spring; it con- 

 tinues to provide palatable greens in midsummer 

 and, sown again in September, will make growth 

 sturdy enough to weather the winter, even in cen- 

 tral New York climate, and be ready with fresh 

 greens in the very early spring. It may grow a 

 little more slowly, but it puts all its vigor into 

 leaf-making. It has very short stems; is nearly 

 all foliage ; it is the slowest variety to go to seed. 

 Long Season spinach is perfect, in its rich dark 

 color and thick tender leaves, delicate enough for 

 salad. 



The cultivation of lettuce and spinach is much 

 alike. The conditions favorable to the growth 

 of big tender-crisp heads of lettuce will also pro- 

 duce broad, rich green, succulent spinach plants. 

 However, lettuce will grow on lean soil; but if 

 spinach is sown in poor sterile soil, the old ten- 

 dency will assert itself and, for our best care, 

 there will only be stunted foliage and almost 

 immediate growth of stalk ; the plants will merely 

 run to seed. Even after luxuriant foliage growth 

 has already been made, when stalk growth begins, 

 the leaves always lose their tender succulence 

 and become tough and bitter. The poorer the 

 soil, the quicker this plant goes to seed; the 



