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this essay Farming under Glass, and devote most of it to 

 lettuce cultuie, as that is the staple product of the green- 

 house at the present time. 



Within the last ten or fifteen years the growing of crops 

 of winter lettuce, in houses especially erected for the pur- 

 pose, has become quite an impoi'tant industry in many lo- 

 cations. 



For a long time hot-beds were preferred to forcing 

 houses for lettuce growing, but except for late fall and 

 early spring they are but little used to-day, while every 

 large city has one or more persons engaged in lettuce 

 forcing. Tiie industry seems to have reached its largest 

 dimensions in the vicinity of Arlington. Ovying to the 

 perfection of their methods, the lettuce growers of Ar- 

 lington and Belmont have been able to compete with 

 local growers in the New York market. Much of the suc- 

 cess obtained by these growers is due to the fact that 

 they have varieties well adapted for forcing. In fact, 

 through the lettuce growing sections of New England, the 

 cabbage or head lettuce is grown, the favorite sorts being 

 selected strains of White Tennis Ball. Those that seem 

 best adapted for the purpose are Hot House selected and 

 largely grown by W. W. Rawson of Arlington and Bel- 

 mont, or Big Boston, which is the favorite sort of Hittin- 

 ger Bros, of Belmont. But there are some growers who 

 raise the Grand Rapids and Boston Curled. Among the 

 strong points of this variety ma,y be noted : (1) Its 

 early maturity, as it develops about one week sooner than 

 any other variety. (2) The closeness of planting that it 

 will admit of, owing to its erect habit of growth; this per- 

 mits the growing of as large heads when planted six 

 inches apart each way as can be obtained from the spread- 

 ing Tennis Ball sorts at eight inches. (3) It seems to 

 require less care and to be less injured by neglect than 

 most other varieties. Improper ventilation or watering 



