GARDEN SPECIALTIES 227 



receive recognition as a neglected vegetable that 

 is worthy of being generally cultivated. 



During the past few years, among thousands of 

 crossbred seedlings, several have been produced 

 which, though as productive as the older varie- 

 ties, are delicious in flavor, while all those before 

 known had a resinous, sunflower taste, not gen- 

 erally relished. The matter of raising seedlings 

 from the common cultivated varieties was found 

 to be impossible, as they had been grown from 

 tubers so long that the power to produce seed 

 was wholly lost, yet a small amount of pollen was 

 sometimes available for use on the wild species 

 and from this these improved varieties were 



produced. 



The Lettuce Tribe 



Doubtless the best known member of the Com- 

 posite family under cultivation is the familiar 

 lettuce. 



This plant has been so long under cultivation 

 that it is impossible to trace it back to the original 

 wild species and in token of its long cultivation, 

 it is one of the most variable of plants. There 

 are hundreds of varieties of lettuce described in 

 catalogues, but those all quite naturally fall under 

 two distinct groups — the cabbage or head lettuce 

 and the cos or upright growing lettuce, the latter 

 of which is mostly grown in cool, moist climates. 



