THE GARDEN 73 



Lettuce. Lettuce also is best planted in seed beds, 

 because otherwise ants are likely to steal the seed. The 

 young lettuce plants must be transplanted 

 very carefully, or they will not grow for 

 some time afterwards. The rows should 

 be 30 cm apart, and the plants 20 cm 

 apart in each row. They should be har- 

 vested before the flowering stem begins FIG. 54. Ahead 

 to grow above the leaves. Lettuce should 

 be shaded for several days before it is cut. This checks 

 the transpiration, and makes the leaves tender. 



THE SQUASH FAMILY 



The cultivated plants of the squash family are squashes 

 and pumpkins, gourds, melons, and cucumbers. These 

 are all large-leaved vines, valuable for 

 their fruit. All of them require well- 

 aired soil. They grow best, or only, 

 FIO. 55- cucumber in the ^ season . The squashes are 



the most important of them. 



Squash Hills. Squashes are planted in hills. To make 

 a good hill, a round hole is dug, 20 cm deep, and 80 cm 

 in diameter. The earth taken out is then well mixed 

 with one quarter as much rotten manure as earth. The 

 mixture is then put back into the hole. This makes a 

 hill, higher than the ground around it, and therefore well 

 aired. The ground should not be fertilized later in the 

 season, because if this is done, the plants are likely to 

 produce long vines with little fruit. As many as three 



