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VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



Hanson. — Forms large solid heads and is a general favorite; 

 excellent for spring or summer use. 



Black-Seeded Simpson. — A popular forcing variety that 

 stands well without going to seed and does not form a head but a 

 mass of curled leaves. 



Grand Rapids. — A very desirable lettuce for forcing. It re- 

 sembles Black-Seeded Simpson, but is a better shipping variety. 



Black-Seeded Tennis Ball. — A popular sort for forcing or 

 early garden culture. It forms large, solid heads and is highly 

 esteemed. 



Salamander. — A good heading sort for summer use. 



Buttercup.— Bright chrome yellow in color, very beautiful; 

 tender and desirable. A popular new sort. 



Insects and Diseases. — There are few insects or diseases that 

 seriously affect the lettuce when grown outdoors. In the green- 

 house and occasionally in the hotbeds, it is sometimes attacked 

 by the aphis and mildew. For remedies for aphis, see chapter 

 on insects. 



Mildew frequently injures the lettuce crop when it is grown 

 in greenhouses in winter. It is most liable to be caused by over- 

 watering and especially by frequent watering in cold or cloudy 

 weather, which keeps the leaves wet much of the time. It is a 

 good plan to water heavily when the crop is planted and to avoid 

 repeating it until the soil is quite dry and tnen water heavily 

 again in the morning of a bright day, so that the foliage may dry 

 off before night. Sub-irrigation has been used with excellent suc- 

 cess for this crop in greenhouses in winter. 



SALSIFY, OR VEGETABLE OYSTER. (Tragopogon porrifolius.) 



Native of Europe. — Biennial.— A plant with long fleshy tap- 

 root and grass-like leaves. The flower stalks grow three feet 

 high; the seed is long, ridged, generally curved and pointed at 

 both ends. It is rather difficult to plant with a seed sower be- 

 cause of its peculiar form, but when the points are rubbed off it is 

 often so planted. 



Culture. — The cultural directions given for the parsnip apply 

 to this plant. It is very easily grown and hardy, and generally 

 comes through the winter in the extreme northern states without 

 injury; it is safer, however, to dig the roots in autumn, and put in 



