216 VEGETABLE FORCING 
for greater uniformity for planting in the beds and also 
for marketing. 
Space may be utilized more economically by using 
pots, to some extent at least, in the starting of plants. 
For example, instead of transferring plants from flats, in 
which they have been grown 2 by 2 inches apart, to per- 
manent beds, another intermediate shift may be made to 
2-inch or 2%-inch pots and the pots plunged between 
plants in the permanent beds, for about two weeks. This 
plan is most suitable for houses in which the lettuce is 
set not less than 8 inches apart each way in the per- 
manent beds. The pots should be plunged in the soil up 
to their rims, and then they will not dry out to any con- 
siderable extent. They may be placed 4 inches apart one 
way, as shown in the following diagram, L denoting the 
lettuce plants just set and P the pots of smaller plants: 
L P L P iL P L 
P P P P P P P 
L P L P E P L 
P P P P P P P 
L P L P L P L 
When this plan is followed, the potted plants, when 
removed to permanent beds in two weeks after the plung- 
ing, will produce marketable heads, under favorable con- 
ditions, in four to six weeks, the length of time depending 
on the amount of sunshine. With a week or two of a 
saving on each crop, it will be seen that this method 
means the gaining of an additional crop during the winter 
forcing season. It is some trouble, of course, and re- 
quires an outlay for pots and labor, but as a business 
proposition, it is worthy of careful consideration. 
Planting distances.—There is the widest range in plant- 
ing distances used by different growers. Tennis Ball is 
generally planted 8 by 8. Big Boston may be grown at 
