UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULT1 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1412 
Washington, D. C. T June, 1926 
MARKETING LETTUCE 
By Charles W. Hauck, Marketing Specialist, Division of Fruits and Vege- 
tables, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 
CONTENTS 
Page 
A growing industry 1 
Producing areas 2 
Types and varieties 5 
Harvesting 7 
Grading and packing 9 
Loading and shipping methods 15 
Car-lot movement and distribution — 22 
Page 
Preferences in consuming markets 29 
Prices 30 
General sales practices 34 
Federal services in marketing 38 
Summary 41 
State and Federal publications on 
harvesting and marketing lettuce- 44 
A GROWING INDUSTRY 
Commercial production and distribution of lettuce in the United 
States during recent years has attained the dimensions of an im- 
portant industry. Lettuce shipments in 1924 filled more than six 
times as many cars as in 1916. The greatest increase occurred 
during the five-year period, 1919-1923 inclusive. In 1923 the crop 
ranked third among all vegetables in point of car lots shipped, being 
exceeded only by potatoes and cabbage. 
The United States Department of Agriculture computed the 
farm value of lettuce in 1924 at $18,600,000. In that year lettuce 
ranked fourth in this respect among all vegetables, being exceeded 
by potatoes, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. In the case of most of 
these leading crops a substantial portion is used for canning or in 
the manufacture of by-products, but this is not true of lettuce. Its 
entire value is made up of proceeds of sales for table consumption in 
the fresh form. 
Land devoted to commercial lettuce production increased from 
16,870 acres in 1918 to 63,060 acres in 1924, an expansion of 274 
per cent. The most notable increase took place in the West. Ari- 
zona reported 300 acres in 1918 and 4,800 acres in 1924 ; California, 
7,140 acres in 1918 and 32,780 acres in 1924 ; Colorado, 140 acres in 
1918 and 5,600 acres in 1924; and Idaho, practically no commercial 
acreage at all until 1920 when 80 acres were reported, and 1,420 
86143°— 26 1 
