May.] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 375 



rising crops, as soon as they Have attained the height of five or six 

 inches. There is a great advantage in allowing sticks of a suitable 

 height, to the various kinds, for the produce is, generally, not only 

 much superior, but by far more abundant, often to more than double 

 the quantity, produced by those that are permitted to trail on the 

 ground. The sticks should not only be sufficiently tall, but also 

 branchy, that the plants may readily take hold; and they should be 

 prepared fan fashion, so as the side branches may extend only along 

 the rows. 



Thev should be placed when in single rows on the sunny side of 

 the drills, as the plants will naturally incline that way, and more 

 readily lay hold of the sticks; or there may be double rows of 

 sticks placed to them, as directed in page 185. 



Transplanting Letttuce. 



Take advantage of moist weather to transplant such of those 

 sown in the two former months as are now fit for it. The ground 

 should be fully exposed, not encumbered with trees, or near any 

 kind of shade whatever, for these plants never form good heads in 

 such situations, but start to seed immediately. 



Dig the ground neatly and rake the surface smooth, then dibble 

 in the plants, in rows ten or twelve inches asunder, and near the 

 same distance from one another in the rows; water them immediate- 

 ly and repeat it occasionally till they have taken good root. 



Such as are intended to remain for heading, where sown, should 

 now be thinned to about ten or twelve inches distance, every way, 

 and those growing among other general crops ought not to be left 

 nearer to each other than three feet. 



Sowing Lettuce Seeds. 



Lettuce seeds of various good kinds should be sown two or three 

 times this month, that there may be a constant and regular supply 

 of this very wholesome vegetable. The white Silicia, grand admi- 

 ral, India, Aleppo, imperial, large royal and green Egyptian cos 

 are very proper kinds to sow now; the Aleppo and Egyptian cos 

 do not head like the other kinds, but if tied up as you do endive 

 they will blanch beautifully, and are extremely crisp and delicious. 

 The white and brown Dutch, Mosul, New-Zealand, and large cab- 

 bage kinds are excellent sorts, and will succeed well if sown in 

 the early part of this month. 



An open situation must be chosen in which to sow the seeds; the 

 ground should be light and rich, and each sort sown separately and 

 very thin; for if drawn up close in the seed bed, they will never 

 head well. 



The beds wherein these are sown, should be frequently refreshed 

 with water in dry weather, to promote the vegetation of the seeds 

 and encourage the growth of the young plants. 



Tying up early Lettuces. 



The various kinds of cos or Roman lettuce which are now 



