Two dependable summer lettuces. All seasons (butter head) on the left; Iceberg (crisp head) on the right. Not all varieties are suitable to hot weather 



More and Better Lettuce for All— By Adolph Kruhm,*^ 



TEN RELIABLE VARIETIES THAT WILL GIVE THE LONGEST SUCCESS OF HIGH QUALITY SALADS 

 IN THE HOME GARDEN — A CROP THAT CAN BE SAFELY GROWN IN ANY PART OF GARDEN 



WELL grown lettuce is seldom 

 found in the home-garden, al- 

 though it is a most easily grown 

 crop. At the same time it is 

 exacting as to culture and soil. Sometimes 

 the weather has a whole lot to do with 

 the quality of the finished product. How- 

 ever, the real solution of the "lettuce 

 problem" as an all-the -season crop lies 

 neither with the soil, nor with the weather, 

 but depends almost entirely upon the selec- 

 tion of the proper sorts for the different 

 periods. 



Lettuce thrives in a great variety of 

 soils. Contrary to many statements, I 

 have found it always willing to do the best 

 it could under the circumstances. It 

 matters little whether you grow it on loam, 

 clay, muck or sandy soil, it always does 

 well, provided it has easy access to readily 

 absorbed plant food, and receives liberal 

 cultivation. This last named condition 

 is by far the most important; it will 

 thrive even in poor clay soil, if cultivated. 

 Slow growth on account of poor soil fer- 

 tility does not influence the quality of the 

 finished product where the plants are 

 kept well hoed throughout their develop- 

 ment. 



To thoroughly test the adaptability of 

 the different sorts to different seasons 

 under unfavorable soil conditions, I tested 

 nearly two-score varieties last summer. 

 I emphasize the fact that soil-conditions 

 were decidedly unfavorable. The trials 

 were planted on the clay soil commonly 

 found on suburban lots. Nevertheless 

 the test was a splendid success, and I know 

 that anybody may grow heads like those 

 shown in the pictures. 



One fact impressed me particularly with 

 all sorts during the different seasons — 



lettuce likes to be "fussed about." It 

 has its petty likes and dislikes, its whims 

 and preferences. The most beautiful heads 

 may be grown by giving each plant in- 

 dividual attention. Above all, give the 

 plants ample room to expand. Since 

 well-grown heads of most kinds will easily 

 spread 8 inches in each direction, I have 

 found it practical to set plants 2 feet apart 

 in the row with at least 2 feet between the 

 rows! This would enable me to con- 

 stantly keep the soil lose even between the 

 heads. Besides, I have found that lettuce 

 planted and treated in this fashion was 

 much slower in going to seed — i. e. bolt- 

 ing — than heads of the same sort under 

 more crowded conditions or not cultivated. 



Lettuce "burns" easily under the scald- 

 ing rays of the July and August sun. The 

 most beautiful heads, which also were of 

 highest Quality, were grown in a partly 

 shaded position. Some of the 

 trial plantings were between 

 tall varieties of peas. These 

 lettuce rows had the ad- 

 vantage of a lot of mois 

 ture which the pea-vines 

 retained between the 

 rows; they were partly 

 shaded, and the culti- 

 vation for the peas also 

 benefited the lettuce. 



As a " short-season " 

 crop, lettuce lends it- 

 self readily to culti- 

 vation between other 

 crops of slower 

 growth. The earliest 

 crop of crisp lettuce 

 from this trial was 

 yielded by rows 

 planted between 



The strong midribs of New 

 the head not infreauently 



beet seedlings. Other sorts of lettuce were 

 planted between tomatoes trained to 

 stakes. Cos lettuce, on account of its 

 upright growth did splendidly between the 

 cabbages, before the latter began to spread 

 early in June. No other crop (with the 

 exception of radishes), lends itself so 

 readily to "intensive" cultivation. 



THE DIFFERENT CLASSES OF LETTUCE 



To "know lettuce" you should know 

 something about the different kinds avail- 

 able. This does not refer to the botanical 

 distinctions but rather to the practical 

 divisions found among lettuce on account 

 of their growth. Primarily, we have to 

 recognize: 1. Loose-head or curly-leaved 

 sorts which form just big bunches of leaves; 

 2. Firm-head sorts which form a solid 

 head, like a cabbage; 3. Cos lettuce. 

 No. account is taken here of some odd sorts 

 which are of no practical value in 

 the home-garden. 



Among both the loose-leaved 

 and the firm-head lettuces we 

 find sorts that are especially 

 adapted for forcing. Peculiar 

 tendencies make these un- 

 desirable for growing in the 

 open ground in many sec- 

 tions of the country. 

 This applies particularly 

 to Grand Rapids 

 among the loose- 

 leaved sorts and the 

 Tennisball varieties 

 among the head 

 lettuces. Big Boston, 

 the variety that fur- 

 nishes those beauti- 



^ork are accountable for fu !' S °} * d heads 

 remaining tightly closed shipped during the 



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