218 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



LETTUCES. 



Lactuca sativa. 



r I ^HE Lettuce is one of the most indispensable plants in the 

 1 garden. It is a universal favourite, and when well grown 



and offered to the consumer in a fresh crisp condition is always 



appreciated and meets with a ready sale. 



The greatest demand is 

 naturally in the spring and 

 early summer months, and 

 enormous quantities are 

 produced to meet the re- 

 quirements of that period, 

 so many, in fact that after 

 the beginning of June the 

 markets are frequently 



copyright, v. A. & Co. glutted with them, and 



Cabbage Lettuce, pri f S fa " tO * ^ low 



Hammersmith, or Hardy Green Winter. and ""remunerative point 



unless the garden of the 



grower is situated so that the cost of carriage is very low. 

 This arises mainly from a faulty system of distribution, and 

 whilst the grower for market must take especial note of the 

 fact if he wishes to avoid loss, the caterer for a direct trade 

 will find it to his interest to keep up a constant supply from 

 early in spring until the end of summer, though even in this 

 case he must be prepared to meet the much greater demand 

 which exists in the early part of the season. 



The early crops sell for the largest prices, and in a normal 

 season under good management they yield a substantial profit. 

 The demand for cos lettuce continues fairly good and steady 

 throughout the summer, and as the supplies sent to market 

 after the end of July are seldom > excessive there is practically 

 no fear of further gluts during that season, and although prices 

 generally rule low a very fair profit can be made by those whose 

 soil can be kept in a cool and moist condition during summer. 



Apart from the value of the Lettuce as a main crop it has an 

 especial value to market gardeners, and particularly so to those 

 who aim at cropping their ground intensively, in the facility 



