VEGETABLES LETTUCE. 217 



The manner of growing the Lettuce for the first or 

 early crop, is the same as that practiced by the market 

 gardeners of New Jersey or Long Island, namely, using 

 plants from seed sown in fall that have been wintered 

 over under sashes, and planted out as early as the ground 

 is fit to work, which, in these warm nooks (in most cases 

 at the base of rocky elevations), is often as early as the 

 first week in March. In some particularly favored spots 

 the Lettuce is planted out in the first week of October, 

 and, if it remains unscathed during winter, comes in in 

 such fine condition for market in May as to well repay 

 the risk. The variety used for this purpose is the " Brown 

 Dutch." 



In any section of the country where the thermometer 

 never falls lower than ten degrees above zero, Lettuce 

 sown the first week in September and planted out the 

 first week of October in sheltered spots in dry soils, will 

 be almost certain to " winter over," and give a crop in 

 spring earlier than if treated by any other method. 



A plan of recent introduction for the summer growing 

 of Lettuce, is to mark out lines one foot each way across 

 the bed, and at the intersection of the lines six or eight 

 seeds are planted, pressed down and slightly covered. 

 These in the summer months germinate in a few days. 

 When the plants are an inch or so high, they are all taken 

 out but one plant. This is a quicker and better plan 

 than planting in hot summer weather, as the Lettuce 

 plant at that season is somewhat difficult to transplant. 

 Succession sowings- should be made every two or three 

 weeks. 



To return to the New York City growers. The varieties 

 grown under glass and first planted out in spring are 

 usually the "Butter" and "Curled Simpson," both 

 white and black seeded. As soon as the crop is planted 

 out, sowings are made for a succession ; this time of the 

 " Salamander" and the " New York," the "Simpson ;? 



