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frequently leads to the appearance of mildew, rot or burn- 

 ing of the leaves, but it is far less noticeable in the curled 

 sorts than in other varieties. 



LETTUCE HOUSES. 



There are a great variety of houses used for this pur- 

 pose. The even span, three-quarter span and leanto houses 

 are all used with good results, but lettuce houses should 

 not be less than twenty feet wide. Houses forty and fifty 

 feet wide are not uncommon and prove satisfactory. The 

 benches may be either raised or solid. In some of the 

 large house even as wide as thirty feet, are solid beds made 

 in the centre, leaving only space for narrow walks next to 

 the walls, but a centre walk in addition is desirable. Solid 

 beds raised one or two feet above the walks are generally 

 preferred to raised benches. 



In heating, both steam and hot water are used, but, ex- 

 cept in very large houses, although the first cost is more, 

 hot water is preferred by many who have made a careful 

 test of both methods. 



LETTUCE GROWING. 



With good management three or four crops of lettuce 

 can be harvested and the houses can then be used for srrow- 

 ing tomato plants, cucumbers, etc. In order to grow so 

 many crops, it is desirable to have the first crop come on by 

 Thanksgiving or before, and for this purpose the seed 

 should be sown in an old cold frame, or in a seed bed es- 

 pecially prepared for the purpose, about the last of July or 

 the first of August. The bed should be marked off into 

 rows six inches apart and the seed scattered thinly in the 

 drills or they may be sown broadcast. When the plants 

 have formed their first true leaves they should be trans- 

 planted to about two inches, or, if in drills, thinned to two 

 inches in the row. These plants will be ready to trans- 



