CHAPTER XIV 



COOL SEASON CROPS THAT QUICKLY REACH EDIBLE 



MATURITY 



The crops in this group are seldom transplanted. So short 

 is their period of growth that they are usually able to reach edible 

 maturity in central latitudes before the normal season for hot 

 weather, if the seed is sown in the open ground as soon as the 

 soil reaches workable condition in the spring. The group includes 

 certain salad plants, '^ greens " and root crops, and also garden 

 peas. The chief point which these crops have in common is 

 their ability to thrive at low temperature and inability to endure 

 heat. 



SPRING SALADS 



Leaf Lettuce. — The most widely grown salad plant in America 

 is leaf lettuce. Almost every one who does any gardening at all 

 includes leaf lettuce in his plantings. It is an easy plant to grow, 

 but does not reach perfection unless the weather is cool and the 

 soil rich and moist. Therefore, in central latitudes * it should be 

 planted at the earhest possible moment in spring in order that it 

 may have time to complete its growth before hot weather arrives. 

 Farther north, in localities where the nights are always cool, 

 successive plantings may be made. In the South lettuce may be 

 grown as a late fall or winter crop. 



The seeds of leaf lettuce may be sown in the open ground 

 in drills twelve inches apart, so that thorough tillage may be 

 given. The plants are usually not thinned before reaching 

 edible age, but are allowed to grow in dense tufts if the seed- 

 ing has been thick. The leaves reach edible size sooner if the 



* The terms "central," ''northern" and "southern latitudes" as used in 

 this and succeeding chapters are synonymous with central, northern and south- 

 ern "localities" respectively. While no absolute boundaries for the localities 

 indicated can be ascribed, since one merges into another, nevertheless, in a 

 general way, the territory lying between the 37th and 42nd parallels of lati- 

 tude may be considered as essentially "central" so far as climatic conditions 

 are concerned, while the area north of the 42nd parallel may be considered 

 " northern " and that south of the 37th parallel " southern." These boundaries 

 refer only to relatively low elevations and do not apply in the high altitudes 

 of mountainous regions. 

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