STOKES SEED FARMS COMPANY MOORESTOWN, NEW JERSEY 



LETTUCE 



(Lactuca sativa) 



HISTORY — .4. native of Asia. The exact country of origin is not 

 certain, neither the date when it was introduced into Europe, but 

 scientists agree that it has no doubt been under cultivation from very 

 remote times. The name lettuce is no doubt a corruption of a Latin 

 u'ord Lactuca, on account of the milky juice known to the vegetable. 

 Herodotus tells us that lettuce was served in its natural state at the 

 royal tables of the Persian King over five hundred years before the 

 Christian Era. According to Pliny, the Romans were not acquainted 

 icith much of a variety of this vegetable; however, it was known to 

 have' marvelous cooling qualities and was often used to reduce fever. 

 There was no attempt to cultivate lettuce in England until the fourth 

 year of Queen Elizabeth's reign (1562). Thirty-seven years after this, 

 however, Gerard speaks of eight distinct varieties. Since that time a 

 great many variations have been made. 



No. 440— Black Seed Tennis Ball 



Synonyms: All Year Round (1876), Salamander (Henderson, 1882), 

 Bloomsdale Butter (Landreth, prior to 1884), Sensation (Johnson 

 & Stokes, 1892), All Heart (Dreer, 1900.) 



Days to Maturity, 71. It will hold eleven days before shooting 

 to seed. It is a very old European variety, the first grown in America, 

 being offered by Booth in 1810, and by Sinclair & Moore and by 



BLACK SEED TENNIS BALL OR SALAMANDER (x 1/4) 



Landreth in 1826. Its great age, as well as it wonderful quality, 

 is no doubt responsible for the many synonyms which have been 

 attached to it. It is a butter variety, strictly cabbage heading, 

 large to medium in size, early-intermediate in season, standing well 

 before shooting to seed. The color of the head is light green, but 

 is not spotted or brownish as is the case with certain other heading 

 varieties. The quality is excellent and highly recommends itself for 

 both private and market gardeners. It is a sure and reliable header 

 and excellent shipper. The seed is a grayish black. Pkt. 10c, oz. 

 25c, H lb. 65c, 1 lb. $2.00, postpaid. 



No. 448 — Unrivaled 



Green-Leaved Big Boston strain. Days to Maturity, 78. It 

 will hold eighteen days before shooting to seed. The original of 

 this was offered by Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., of France, as Sans 

 Rival, and first introduced on this continent by two Canadian seed 

 firms, Messrs. John A. Bruce & Co. and Mr. J. A. Simmers in 1902, 

 and listed by seedmen generally in this country the year following. 

 This variety closely resembles Big Boston, and in order to emphasize 

 this fact, we offered the variet} r under the name Green-Leaved Big 

 Boston in 1917. No doubt Vilmorin secured his original stock 

 from a sport of the Trocadero, and this fact, no doubt, accounts for 

 its being difficult to secure a true stock thereof, even after sixteen 

 years of constant effort. We believe the seed we offer now to be 

 as true, however, we we have ever been privileged to offer. Pkt. 

 10c, oz. 25c, \i lb. 65c, 1 lb. $2.00, postpaid. 



CALIFORNIA CREAM BUTTER (x 1/4) 



No. 444 — California Cream Butter 



Days to Maturity, 77. Will hold seventeen days before shooting 

 to seed. Named and introduced by Burpee in 1888. It seems 

 probable, however, that it is merely a renaming of the older Royal 

 Summer Cabbage. Mammoth Black Seeded Butter (Thorburn) 

 and Mammoth Salamander (Johnson & Stokes) are varieties so 

 similar that they are now considered practically synonjTnous. 

 The foreign name for California Cream Butter is Winter Tremont. 

 One of the desirable features of this variety is its long standing 

 habit after maturity, holding almost twice the time of the Black 

 Seed Tennis Ball. It is a cabbage butter head, with thick leaves, 

 dark green, tinged with brown and spotted. The inside of the head 

 is a rich golden yellow. The quality is excellent and, under satis- 

 factory conditions, will form a solid head. California Cream Butter 

 or Mammoth Salamander has made splendid easy money for large 

 lettuce growers in many parts of the country. It is a highly recom- 

 mended variety both for commercial and private planting, and our 

 strain will run up to a high standard of purity. The seed is a very 

 dark brownish color. This variety will prove especially valuable 

 if brought to maturity as the warmer days advance. Pkt. 10c, 

 oz. 25c, H lb. 65c, 1 lb. $2.00, postpaid. 



UNRIVALED (x 1,4) 



38 



See Tables on Page 3 and Read Descriptions Carefully Before Ordering 



