DREER’S VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS. 49 
bloom in the same situation while winter still holds the out- 
side world. Plants appear to be dormant during winter, but 
for all that many of them are actively at work, especially in 
their underground portions. 
Cold frame lettuce plants are commonly taken in October 
from the out-of-doors seed bed sown September 15. They 
are set in the sash at various distances apart, or from 
seven to ten inches. ‘The old way, still followed by some 
gardeners, is to put fifty plants under each sash. A system 
now in vogue at Philadelphia is to plant eight by nine inches 
apart. This allows for thirty-eight plantsto thesash. This 
is for large lettuce, the price of which warrants the extra 
space allotted to it. 
This handy marker for frames and borders can be made 
——— by anybody in a few minutes. 
Cut it from a piece of one-inch 
beard, 35 inches long and 4 inches wide. Bore a hole for 
a rake handle, allowing for slant. Make the distance 
between the points exactly eight inches. 
Lettuce seed may be sowed in frames in February for 
early spring plants. The beds are put in order, made 
smooth, struck out in both directions with a marker, and a 
few lettuce seeds dropped at every ‘‘hill’’ or crossing point 
of the lines. After the lettuce has made a little growth all 
the plants except one are removed. This method is em- 
ployed at a season (in early spring) when the ground is 
so cold that transplanting is difficult. As a rule, however, 
we would recommend transplanting wherever possible, as it 
always favors root development and better subsequent growth. 
The winter treatment of cold frame lettuce is simple. 
Air is given during the day and the sashes are closed at 
night. This is the practice of the market gardeners. The 
sashes must not be kept closed during the day when the 
ground under them is thawed or likely to thaw. Moisture 
under a sash will produce foul air and disease. Only when 
