SPRING SALADS 



99 



plants are somewhat crowded, for then they stretch for light. 

 However, if large individual plants (Fig. 53) are desired for 

 market, the seeding must be light or the plants thinned. In the 

 home garden it is a good plan to begin thinning the lettuce as 

 soon as it is large enough to use, and continue the process as the 

 product is needed for the table. By the time the thinning is com- 

 pleted, the plants first thinned will have attained large size, and 

 the harvesting of the lettuce may continue. 



In gathering leaf lettuce, the usual practice is to pull the entire 

 plant. However, there are some varieties of lettuce that will 



m^ 



- H\ ^1 Wn\ '81 % 'llO'lll'FM^l! '21 



Fig. 53. — A well-developed plant of leaf lettuce. 



produce a new crop of leaves if the first crop is cut off just above 

 ground. These are sometimes designated as " cutting " varieties. 

 They are desirable for the home garden, since they make it pos- 

 sible to have lettuce for a long time from a single planting. 



Sometimes, in the home garden, leaf lettuce is sown broadcast 

 and not cultivated. However, this is usually a less satisfactory 

 method than sowing in rows and giving thorough tillage. 



Since lettuce requires an abundance of moisture if the growth 

 is to be rapid, and since rapid growth is essential to good quality, 

 facilities for artificial watering are highly desirable. Shading of 

 the plants, if the weather becomes warm, is also beneficial. How- 



