358 The Principles of Vegetable- Gardening 



perhaps being the best. Lettuce may be followed by- 

 cabbages, early cauliflower, celery or various other suc- 

 cession-crops. Sometimes lettuce is transplanted be- 

 tween the plants of early cabbages or cauliflowers, since 

 it will mature before the other plants need all the space. 

 -Such companion -cropping is shown in Fig. 106. Let- 

 tuce may be grown in the fall from seeds that are sown 



Fig. 105. Lettuce seedlings. Natural size. 



late in August or in September. In such case it is best 

 to sow in a seed-bed, because the moisture conditions 

 can be controlled better, and a field is usually too dry 

 at that time of the year to give quick germination. It 

 is essential that lettuce make a quick and succulent 

 growth to be at its best. The large -heading varieties 

 are not so much grown as the others, since they demand 

 somewhat greater care and are more particular as to soil. 

 Lettuce usually does best in a soil that is loose and 

 warm, or one that the gardeners call quick.'' Soils 



