320 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



July, 1906 



Extreme type of crisp leaf, Denver MarKet. This is 

 the most blistered and crumpled of all the lettuces 



New York, crisp heading, late. Sweet, 

 but not butter flavor; a standard summer 

 variety, useless for wintering. 



Prize Head, crisp bunching, early, leaf 

 thin brown, grows well everywhere, and is 

 especially favored in the west. Soon wilts 

 when cut. 



Mignonette, crisp heading, small, second 

 early, and does not quickly bolt to seed. 

 Excellent quality, the tenderest and most 

 delicate of the crisp varieties. Very hard 

 head. Good for spring and fall sowing. 



Black Seeded Simpson, crisp bunching, 

 intermediate to medium late. Grows any- 

 where. This is the most easily grown, and 

 most reliable of all lettuces. Does well in 

 summer, when other kinds fail. Fair qual- 

 ity, hard in texture. 



Paris White Cos, the best of its type, very 

 large, late, and worth growing during the 

 summer. The leaves are very crisp, firm, 

 and sweet. Has all the quality of the butter 

 types added to a crisp, hard leaf. Used for 

 romaine salads. 



California Cream Butter, butter heading, 



Lettuce should be transplanted twice. First as 

 soon as the plants can be easily handled; second, 

 when they have made a pair of true leaves. 



fairly late. Very hardy to cold; stands the 

 winter well, and does well in summer. Suc- 

 ceeds everywhere. One of the most buttery. 



Iceberg, crisp heading, valuable as a late 

 variety, large, and does not bolt. Good 

 quality, sweet. Good as a summer head 

 lettuce. 



Tennis Ball Black Seeded, butter heading, 

 intermediate season. Valuable because it is 

 perhaps the most reliable at all seasons, and 

 in all sections. Good for spring, summer, 

 or autumn sowing. 



STANDARDS FOR QUALITY 



If all other considerations can be sacri- 

 ficed, and a selection be made for quality 

 alone, perhaps Half Century would head the 

 list of desirable lettuces. It is better than 

 Hartford Bronzed Head even. Mr. Tracy 

 says of it, "Decidedly the most tender and 

 delicate flavored of all varieties tested", and 

 he draws his conclusions from several years 

 tests with every kind that could be found in 

 the trade up to two years ago. But you 

 can't get all the good points in one thing; 

 the ideal is always a mental fancy. Against 

 its high quality Half Century has an un- 

 attractive dark color, uneven shape, the 

 tender leaves break with the least handling; 

 it is an uneven header, and needs good, 

 careful cultivation. If you can't supply 

 that, don't attempt to grow this variety. 



Next in order of merit come Hartford 

 Bronzed Head, Deacon, Paris White Cos, 

 Mignonette, New York, Tennis Ball Black 

 Seeded, California Cream*Butter, Hubbard's 

 Market, and Golden Green. Excepting 

 the two last, all these varieties have been 

 described above. 



Hubbard's Market is a butter heading, 

 succeeding well in all parts of the country. 

 A first class, all around variety for all seasons, 

 for forcing, and for wintering outdoors. 

 Darker green than Tennis Ball Black Seeded, 

 which it otherwise resembles. 



Golden Queen, butter heading, small, very 

 light green, firm texture, and approaching 

 the crisp quality. For the earliest crops in 

 frames this variety is well adapted, or for 

 first early outdoors, but not for summer use. 



FOR AUTUMN CROPS 



No variety is better than Big Boston for 

 late autumn use. It is a butter heading 

 variety, and endures heat well. Though not 

 equal in quality to the others named, it is a 

 deservedly popular variety. As a rule, those 

 lettuces that are best in the heat of summer 

 and autumn are not of the highest quality. 

 Black Seeded Simpson is another example 

 of this — a coarse lettuce, but sure of results, 

 and often the most satisfactory for home use. 



PREPARATION FOR THE TABLE 



More than any other vegetable, lettuce pays 

 for being picked and eaten within the hour. 

 It is essentially a home garden vegetable, 

 and cannot be had of the highest quality 

 unless grown under the kitchen window. 

 To be presentable at all, the heads must be 

 fresh looking. If the leaves are wilted and 

 flabby, put them into cold water with a little 

 salt in, for about an hour before serving. 



Leaf of typical butter type, Deacon, one of the best 

 for home use. Slightly blistered 



Remove the outer withered leaves, and 

 carefully clean the inner ones removing all 

 grit and insects; wash in cold water, with a 

 little salt added, and then dry thoroughly. 

 Do this by shaking the separated leaves in a 

 clean cloth, and do it gently, so that the 

 leaves will not be bruised. Rough handling 

 will bruise, and cause discoloration of the 

 leaves, entirely spoiling both appearance 

 and flavor. 



Lettuce is generally served uncooked, as 

 salad, either plain, with a simple dressing, as 

 a summer salad; or as the foundation for 

 almost any conceivable form of mixed salad, 

 of fish, flesh, fowl or fruit. For serving 

 plain, the crisp, or butter varieties are pre- 

 ferred; the butter kinds we like best for 'a 

 dressed salad; and those who do not know 

 the cos in the mixed salad have yet to live ! 



In preparing for salad, be careful to 

 drain the leaves thoroughly, for if the water 



Typical leaves of the Cos type, on the right. Aspara* 

 gus Lobed-leaved (an unusual form.) an the left 



