96 COOL SEASON VEGETABLES 



Lettuce.— Leaf lettuce is much easier to grow than is head 

 lettuce. Both require very rich garden soil; it should be moist and 

 loose. The edible qualities of lettuce depend upon its being very- 

 crisp and tender; rapid growth is therefore necessary. Sow head 

 lettuce in flats in the window or hotbed. Transplant the little 

 seedlings once or twice. Several plantings may be made later, 

 particularly in cool climates. The crop does well in .partially 

 shaded places, provided enough moisture is supplied. Head let- 

 tuce does not endure as much summer heat as many other garden 

 crops. Leaf lettuce will also become tough and send up seed stalks 

 when the weather becomes hot and the soil is dry. The late sum- 

 mer or fall crop may be stored by sowing seeds in beds or a pro- 

 tected place. These may be transplanted about the first of Sep- 

 tember and mature a nice crop of heads before freezing weather. 

 If winter comes on too soon, cover the plants with coarse litter 

 and let them continue their growth during warm spells which 

 may follow. 



In the extreme southern states lettuce plants may be cov- 

 ered and left out all winter; in the northern states they can be 

 transplanted into coldframes under glass or cloth and continue to 

 grow and make heads for winter use. 



Romaine. — A type of lettuce known as Romaine, or Cos let- 

 tuce, is becoming more popular in America. It is more erect than 

 common leaf lettuce, and the leaves are rather firm, as in head 

 lettuce. Unlike the other forms of lettuce, it requires blanching 

 for the best flavor. In the southern states Cos lettuce is becoming 

 more popular because it endures more summer heat than other 

 types of lettuce. 



English Garden Peas. — There are three main types of garden 

 peas, according to the height of growth. The dwarf varieties are 

 the earliest and require no staking; the medium and tall varieties 

 require supports of some kind. As the expense of staking is less 

 in the home garden than in large commercial plantations the tall 

 varieties are more used. Peas may also be classified according to 

 the character of seed produced, being smooth or wrinkled. The 

 wrinkled varieties are sweeter in flavor and are considered of much 

 better quality, but the smooth peas are hardier, and are planted 

 in large fields for canning purposes. 



Peas do not withstand summer heat. They must be grown in 

 the cool part of the year. They endure winter cold fairly well. 

 If sown upon the earliest approach of spring they will endure con- 



