LETTUCE. 195 



or a similar substitute, should be extended over the glass, for 

 the retention of heat. 



Some practise transplanting directly from the nursery-bed 

 to where the plants are to remain ; but the finest Lettwce is 

 generally obtained by the treatment above described. 



Use. " Lettuce is well known as one ef the best of all 

 salad plants. It is eaten raw in French salads, with cream, 

 oil, vinegar, salt, and hard-boiled eggs. It is also eaten by 

 many with sugar and vinegar ; and some prefer it with 

 vinegar alone. It is excellent when stewed, and forms an 

 important ingredient in most vegetable soups. In lobster 

 and chicken salads, it is indispensable ; and some of the 

 varieties furnish a beautiful garnish for either fish, flesh, or 

 fowl. 



"In a raw state, Lettuce is emollient, cooling, and in 

 some degree laxative and aperient, easy of digestion ; but it 

 contains no nourishment." 



Varieties. These are exceedingly numerous, though the 

 number of kinds grown to any considerable extent in this 

 country is quite limited. 



They are generally divided into two classes ; viz., Cab- 

 bage Lettuces and Cos Lettuces. 



Cabbage Lettuces : 



Head of medium size, rather long and loose ; Brown 

 the leaves, which coil or roll back a little on BLACK-SEEDED. 



Vil 



the borders about the top of the head, are yel- 

 lowish-green, washed or stained with brownish-red ; diame- 

 ter twelve to fourteen inches ; weight eight ounces. 



This Lettuce cabbages readily, forms a good-sized head,- 

 is tender, of good quality, hardy, and tolerably early. It 

 *does not, however, retain its head well in dry and warm 

 weather, and, as it is little affected by cold, seems best 

 adapted to Avinter or very early culture. It resembles the 

 Yellow-seeded Brown Dutch, but is not so early ; and the 

 head is looser and larger. 



