VEGETABLE FORCING 51 



is a loose, nonheading lettuce, known as bunch 

 or cutting lettuce. It is distinctively a forcing 

 lettuce. The Grand Rapids Forcing was orgi- 

 nated under forcing house conditions and thrives 

 in that environment better than in the open, 

 although the Simpson, which is undoubtedly the 

 parent stock, thrives well in the open. 



The loose lettuce forcing industry is conducted 

 precisely the same as the head lettuce industry 

 so far as propagation and transplanting the 

 young plants are concerned. The Grand Rapids 

 type, however, will thrive and produce a satis- 

 factory crop at much closer intervals than the 

 heading type. The plants are, therefore, set 

 closer, each grower varying the planting dis- 

 tance to suit his market and conditons. Another 

 important respect in which this industry differs 

 from the other is in the general method of 

 marketing. 



Grand Rapids is almost universally sold by 

 the pound instead of by the count as in the case 

 of head lettuce. This has advantages as well 

 as disadvantages. The advantage is that the 

 crop can usually be disposed of with equal ease 

 while the plants are yet small or after they 

 have attained their maximum growth. The 

 great disadvantage is that the growers do not 

 exercise the care in growing the crop that would 



