SALAD CROP PROJECTS 



145 



7. Making plant boxes. — Paper plant boxes, though seldom 

 used for lettuce, will be found valuable, especially if very large, 

 stocky plants are desired. (W : 58.) 



8. Making straw mats. — Straw mats are valuable to protect 

 plants in the hotbed or cold frame. (W : 50.) 



9. Starting early plants. — Early lettuce plants are often 

 started under glass, when practically the same methods are em- 



FiG. 39. — A well-constructed cold frame containing a crop of forced lettuce. 



ployed as in the growing of early cabbage plants. The seed is 

 generally sown somewhat later than early cabbage. If the seeding 

 is made about February 15, the plants should be ready to set in 

 the cold frame March 5, and in the field April 15, or a week 

 earlier, if the weather has been warm and sunny. 



It is important to have plenty of humus in the soil that is 

 used to start early plants. It is also desirable to be liberal in the 

 space allowed for the plants. While good plants may be grown 

 when set l|Xl| inches apart in the cold frame, 2X2 inches apart 

 will produce much stronger plants and it often pays to allow the 



