26 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



AcGCST 13, 1908. 



Vegetable Forcing. 



The leader in vegetable growing under 

 glass, W. W. Eawson, of Arlington, 

 Mass., is dead. A portrait and brief 

 account of his career appear on another 

 page of this issue. 



GROWERS WILL CO-OPERATE. 



A meeting of greenhouse men and 

 other persons interested in the growing 

 of vegetables under glass at Grand Kap- 

 ids, Mich., wiU be held in the farmers' 

 club rooms in the courthouse at 2 o 'clock 

 Saturday, August 15. It is the intention 

 of the greenhouse men to form an or- 

 ganization for the purpose of keeping in 

 touch with the markets of the country. 

 At the meeting oflScers will be chosen and 

 a permanent organization will be effected. 

 Other matters in connection with the 

 business will be discussed. 



NEW TYPES OF LETTUCE. 



Preferences of the Markets. 



The growing of lettuce under glass is an 

 important industry, especially in the east- 

 ern United States, says B. T. Galloway in 

 an account of the work of the Bureau of 

 Plant Industry, U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture. The large winter plantings 

 of lettuce in Florida and other southern 

 sections have to some extent curtailed the 

 output of the glass-grown crop; still, the 

 quantity of lettuce grown in greenhouses 

 for special markets is great. "While a 

 considerable number of types of lettuce 

 specially adapted for culture under glass 

 have been developed in the last fifteen 

 or twenty years, none of them is entirely 

 satisfactory. This may be said, of course, 

 of almost any crop. In other words, 

 there is opportunity for improvement in 

 almost every crop that the farmer or 

 gardener may grow. 



The eastern markets demand a head 

 lettuce, while those of the west require a 

 lettuce of loose type, that is, a lettuce 

 without a head, but a good, vigorous 

 grower. The shape, color and size of the 

 plants have much to do with their mar- 

 ketable qualities and their successful pro- 

 duction. The eastern markets demand a 

 medium-sized plant, that is, ranging from 

 ten to twelve inches across, with a good, 

 firm, light-colored head. The outer 

 leaves of the lettuce should also be light 

 in color, tender, and preferably curled 

 •or puffed. This gives a type of lettuce 

 in which the head can be used for salad 

 and the outer leaves for dressing. Still 

 more important, it is essential that the 

 plant shall be hardy, quick to mature, not 

 liable to run to seed early, and able to 

 resist certain troubles that affect the 

 plant under glass, such as top-burn, a 

 physiological disturbance, and stem-rot, 

 a fungous disease. 



For the more western sections of the 

 country, as already indicated, the type of 

 lettuce demanded is quite different from 

 that\in the east. A loose head, light in 

 color ^And of considerable weight, is de- 

 manded by the markets. This type of 

 lettuceXis more easily grown than the 

 head ley;uce, not being so subject to dis- 

 ease, ifiaturing more quickly, and being 

 more uniform in growth. The Boston 

 Market and Grand Rapids varieties rep- 

 resent the two types, the first being a 

 head lettuce, the second a loose one. 



A BED or MUSHROOMS 



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KIRKEBY & GUNDESTRUP SEED CO., 4273 Milwaukee Afe.,ClllcagO 



MUSHROOM SFKCIAU8TS 



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USE ANGLO-AMERICAN MUSHROOM SPAWN 



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FREE SAMPLE BRICK TO GROWERS AND DEALERS 



ANCLO-AMERICAN SPAWN CO., KENNETT SQUARE, PA. 



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FL.ORISXS have a splendid oppor- 

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 SPAWN, the best Spawn in the market, is sold by all 

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 of 40c in postage stamps. Address Amerloan 

 Spawn Company, St. Panl, Stinn. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



SWANSON'S 



New varieties of Mush- 

 room Spawn is the best 

 Spawn on the market. 

 Write for price list and 

 book about Mushrooms. 



Paul Swanson, 



2743 W. 47th St.. 



CHICAGO 



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Efforts at Improvement, 



Various efforts have been made by 

 those interested in lettuce to improve ex- 

 isting types through selection. This was 

 found to be a slow process, however, and 

 very little progress was made. Four years 

 ago the plan of hybridizing lettuces was 

 conceived, and although the difficulties in 

 the way were recognized an outline of the 

 work was placed in George W. Oliver's 

 hands and numerous crosses were made. 

 The ideal type of lettuce desired was for- 

 mulated, and with a view of securing this 

 it was planned to cross the Grand Rapids 

 lettuce with a small-heading type known 

 as the Golden Queen, believing that by 

 so doing strains could be secured which 

 would give what was wanted both for 

 the east and for the west. The Golden 

 Queen lettuce is small in size, with a firm 

 head and bright golden color ; it is hardy, 

 but lacks adaptability to a wide range of 

 conditions, and, moreover, lacks size and 

 weight. 



The resultant crosses gave, as usual, 

 many variations. Rigid selection of these 

 crosses, however, has resulted in the se- 

 curing of two types of lettuce which are 

 different from any of those now grown 

 and which, so far as conditions here are 

 concerned, fulfill the requirements as 

 originally formulated. 



New Headiag Variety. 



The first, which we shall call for the 

 present No. 39-2, is a head lettuce, the 

 result of a cross between Golden Queen 

 and Grand Rapids. The original cross 

 resulted in the production of several 

 thousand seedlings, from which this par- 

 ent was selected. Continuous selection 

 under glass has resulted in practically 

 fixing the type as desired. The plant is 

 a rapid grower with a large-sized head; 

 the outer leaves are a bright golden yel- 

 low, while the inner leaves and head are 



If you grow VEGETABLES 



you need a live, practical, up-to-date weekly pai>er, 

 especially devoted to that industry. 

 The Weekly Market Grower* Journal 

 "FILLS THE BILL,." 



Special department for Greenhouse Practice 



Mr. Eugene Davis, Grand Rapids, Mich., origin- 

 ator of the Davis Perfect Cucumber and Grand 

 Rapids Lettuce, writing us ucder date of July 27, 

 1!K)8, says: "I take pleasure in remitting $2.25 for 

 three years' subscription to the Journal. Allow 

 me to congratulate you on having such writers as 

 Mr. Waid. Mr. Massey. and 'Grower.' The arti- 

 cles on 'Lettuce Growing,' by Mr. Waid, and 

 'Growinsr Cucumbers,' by 'Grower,' are worth 

 ten years' subscriotion to a beginner. Older ones 

 tan very well read them with profit." 

 Subscriptioi price, $1.08 per ycir. Sample copy free. 



Market Growers Journal, 

 519 IINnpit Life Bldg., LOUISVILLE. KY. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



THE cost of labor saved 

 ' in six months will buy 

 .and install a Skinner Sys- 

 tem of Greenhouse Irri- 

 gation. 



The Skinner Irrigation Go. 



TROY, O. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



a bright yellow, shading off to whitish 

 toward the center of the head. The head 

 is firm and exceedingly tender and sweet. 

 The plants under test here have been 

 more resistant to top-burn and the daiiip- 

 ing-off disease than the parents. 



Altogether, this new lettuce seems to 

 be a promising type, and it is hoped 

 within the next year or two to be able 

 to distribute quantities of seed to those 

 who are interested in the production of 

 this crop. This variety is adapted espe- 

 cially for cultivation under glass through 

 the eastern United States. It has not 

 been tested thoroughly out of doors, and 

 no claims can therefore be made for its 

 growth under these conditions. 



Eclipses Grand Rapids. 



The second type of lettuce which has 

 been secured, and which is especially 

 adapted to regions where the Grand Rap- 

 ids variety is now grown, is known as No. 

 44B. This plant was raised in 1904 from 

 seed secured by crossing the Golden 

 Queen with the Grand Rapids during the 

 summer of 1903. The variety is almost 

 intermediate between the parents. At 

 first glance it seems to favor the Grsind 

 Rapids more than the Golden Queen. The 

 leaves, however, are more crinkled and 



