Forcing of Cabbage Lethice in Holland. 689 



it upon the pencil. Of course, by this process, the pencil comes 

 as often in contact with the female as with the male part of 

 the flower ; consequently, the fecundation is accomplished by 

 the pollen which is already on the pencil adhering to the 

 stigma while more is collected. By the first of these methods 

 I had rather more berries set than I had by the latter ; but I 

 had a great many berries to thin out of all the bunches, except 

 the two which I left unassisted, and which set their berries in 

 the usual way, almost all of them about the size of peas, and 

 without seed. I kept as dry an atmosphere as I conveniently 

 could, from 65 to 82 degrees of heat, in order to absorb a 

 superfluous moisture which collected on the stigma. The 

 operation was generally performed about noon, when the 

 bunches were dry. It is necessary that the operation should 

 be performed every day while the trees are in flower (which 

 Avill be about a week), as some parts of the bunches are only 



.in flower when the others are set. 



Yours, &c. 



J. Craig. 



.Hoisos7iam y February 10. 1830.. 



Art. XVII. On the Forcing of Cabbage Lettuce in Holland. By 

 M. P. Lindegaard. Translated from [the Danish by M. Jens 

 Peter Petersen, of the Royal Gardens of Rosenburgh, near 

 Copenhagen. 



It is well known that every country is possessed of some- 

 thing peculiar in preference to another, with regard to vege- 

 tation, or to the bringing of some plants and sorts of fruits 

 to greater maturity and perfection ; which is partly effected 

 by, or attributed to, local circumstances, as air, soil, situation, 

 or climate. 



On the Continent, the Dutch gardeners are undoubtedly 

 the only ones who produce excellent cabbage lettuce during 

 the whole winter. The nobility and gentry in Holland are 

 remarkably fond of lettuce, having it on their table every day 

 in the year, and consider it very wholesome and purgative 

 to the blood : consequently, this branch of horticulture has 

 attracted the greatest care and attention of the gardeners in 

 that country. The treatment of winter lettuce (coude slaa, 

 Dutch), as I saw it practised forty-four years back, during 

 my stay in Holland, is as follows : — 



A hot -bed which has done bearing, and is well situated 

 towards the sun,, is chosen : the mould is several times stirred 



Vol. VI. — No. 29. y y 



