54 DREER’S VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS. 
But, after all, the real success of the New England gar- 
dener depends on his management of details. Nothing is too 
much trouble for him, and he cannot get appliances that are 
too good for him. We will presently explain the careful 
details of some of his processes ; and as to his glass houses, 
they are as large and as well equipped, probably, as any in 
the world. 
Let it not be imagined, however, that the business is 
without its drawbacks, even on the coast of Massachusetts 
Bay, for the Dreer note books have records (made in 1896) 
of mildew and ‘“‘burn’’; and one Down-East gardener was 
inclined to believe that Jersey had excelled Massachusetts in 
her lettuce products in the New York markets during the 
previous winter. There may be a bit of comfort to Jersey 
truckers in this comment, for it goes to show a recognition 
of the good quality of Jersey lettuce. 
The Boston lettuce grower begins operations in his forc- 
ing house in autumn on the following general plan. He first 
prepares the beds by digging into them about three inches of 
well-rotted horse manure. The beds are all upon the ground 
(not on staging), and this amount of manure can be incorpo- 
rated with the soil without much trouble. No artificial fer- 
tilizer is used in the houses. (The date of beginning opera- 
tions seems to be changing, with a tendency to get started 
a little earlier each year.) 
Six weeks before the young plants are needed for the 
forcing house the lettuce seed is sown in an out-of-doors bed— 
in a bed containing no manure whatever. This is to get 
plants wholly free from the germs of mildew. This is a 
point of great importance. 
The young plants, once transplanted (3 inches each 
way), are thus strong, stocky and perfectly healthy when 
they reach the bed in the forcing house. They have spent 
six weeks in getting ready to grow. They are now prepared 
to make rapid progress in the six or seven weeks of time 
allotted to them for heading. 
