154 



CULINARY OK KITCHEN GARDEN. 



ground ; for while they are in the seed- 

 bed or nursery plantation, they are pro- 

 gressing in growth, while other crops may 

 be ripening off to make way for them. 

 Besides, the process of transplanting 

 greatly lessens their disposition to run to 

 seed. 



Subsequent cultivation. — During spring 

 the young crops must be protected from 

 frost, and during summer from drought 

 by copious waterings of manure-water, 

 and frequent stirring of the ground be- 

 tween the plants; and snails and slugs 

 should be kept under by watering with 

 lime-water when the ground is dry, or 

 dusting with lime in powder when it is 

 already too moist. During winter the 

 plants should be kept dry, clear of weeds, 

 dead leaves, and all matter likely to en- 

 courage damp amongst them. The ground 

 should be frequently stirred amongst the 

 plants, and abundance of air given to 

 those under glass frames or hand-glasses. 

 In the growing season every stimulant 

 should be applied, for much of the excel- 

 lence of the crop depends on its quick- 

 ness of growth. Blanching being often 

 desirable, the cos varieties will be has- 

 tened towards maturity by having their 

 leaves loosely tied together with strands 

 of matting : the cabbage sorts do not re- 

 quire this attention. For means of pre- 

 serving during winter, see Endive ; the 

 means and method of proceeding are 

 alike in both. 



Forcing. — The lettuce is seldom forced 

 in Britain; on the Continent there is a 

 slight stimulus given to produce them 

 fine during winter and early spring. In 

 Holland and Belgium this is carried on 

 with great care and success. The means 

 adopted will be understood by what 

 follows. 



The Dutch and Belgian mode of obtaining 

 fine lettuce throughout the winter is — About 

 the beginning of October, not later, an ex- 

 hausted hot-bed, on which melons or cucumbers 

 have been grown, or, in default of this, a bed of 

 fresh materials well fermented, and in which 

 the excess of fermentation has ceased, is chosen, 

 and formed into a bed for the purpose. These 

 beds, we may observe, are for the most part 

 either wholly or in part under the ground sur- 

 face, a pit being dug out for their reception : 

 this is rendered necessary from the intensity of 

 their winters. After the heat has considerably 

 declined, the surface is earthed over to the 

 depth of a foot or more with light soil, chiefly 



decomposed leaf-mould with an admixture of 

 sand, and filled up to within 9 inches of the 

 under surface of the glass. The surface is ren- 

 dered smooth and level by slightly beating it 

 down with the back of a spade, and is then 

 most correctly marked out into squares corre- 

 sponding exactly with the size of the square of 

 glass, and immediately under them. The plants, 

 being previously sown very thin three weeks or 

 a month before, are not excited by any extra 

 means ; on the contrary, they are kept exposed, 

 and so become sturdy, stocky plants, so that 

 when they have formed their fourth leaf they 

 are judged fit for being transplanted into the 

 prepared bed. One plant only is placed in each 

 square, and that in its very centre. A few 

 plants are put along the back and ends of the 

 bed to serve as substitutes should any of the 

 principal ones be eaten by the wireworm, which 

 is very troublesome ; if not required, these are 

 thrown away. We do not recollect seeing any 

 of the cos varieties so grown, but the cab- 

 bage kinds only : the Klein groen, or small 

 green with black seed, very similar to our 

 tennis-ball, or the Laitue grotte of the French, 

 is used where the squares of glass are small; 

 and the Groote geel or large white, similar to 

 our drumhead or Silesian, where the squares 

 exceed a square foot each. After planting a 

 slight watering is given, and the whole surface 

 of the bed is neatly covered with white sand, 

 which is kept during the whole growth exceed- 

 ingly clean and free of weeds and muscous mat- 

 ter. The lights are then put on, and made to 

 fit exceedingly close all round the sides and 

 ends of the frames, these being rebated for their 

 reception ; and no air is given for the first two 

 or three days— that is, until the plants have 

 taken root. Afterwards air is admitted, but 

 with extreme caution, the lights being slightly 

 elevated both at bottom and top, so that a com- 

 plete change of air takes place almost instan- 

 taneously : this is found better in practice than 

 a less efficient and more protracted mode of 

 ventilation, and perhaps on this a great deal of 

 their rapid growth and delicate crispness de- 

 pends. In the early part of winter this ventila- 

 tion is often left on during the day and night 

 also ; but the sashes are never completely re- 

 moved, but kept on to keep the surface and 

 the plants dry. When the lettuces have at- 

 tained their full size, and have become com- 

 pletely cabbaged, air is totally withdrawn ; 

 should the leaves touch the glass, the frame is 

 carefully elevated a few inches to prevent their 

 coming in contact with it, and running the 

 chance of being injured by frost. When the 

 frosty nights come on, the utmost vigilance is 

 exercised to prevent the frost passing through 

 the glass, for if it did so, the whole crop would 

 inevitably perish : covering must therefore be 

 attended to, as the exclusion of cold and damp 

 are the principles of their preservation. During 

 the whole process, no artificial heat must be 

 applied; and water must also be withheld, as it 

 is probable that the roots, having passed through, 

 or nearly through, the bed of soil, abstract suffi- 

 cient moisture from the dung-bed below, thus 

 rendering surface-watering unnecessary. To do 



