THE AMATEURS KITCHEN GARDEN. 
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causes them to run up, but a slightly-shaded spot may be 
selected for seed sown in May and June. As to distances, 
the cos varieties must be a foot apart at least, the Neapolitan 
two feet apart, Tom Thumb six to nine inches, and so on, 
according to the relative vigour of the variety. 
Winter and Spring Lettuces are obtained from sowings 
made in July, August, and September. In the seed catalogues 
will be found the names of many varieties that are described 
as hardy ; but w r e have found only two that we could thoroughly 
trust, and they are Hammersmith Green Cabbage and Black- 
seeded Brown Cos. Sow twice at least, say about the 20th of 
July and the 20th of August. In each case the seed should 
be sown in rows a foot apart on a raised bed in a position well 
drained. If the work is well done there will soon be a nice 
plant. The profitable way to manage is to begin in October 
to transplant to dry sheltered borders, and to frames and 
pits, and to leave enough in the beds to make a good planta- 
tion to stand the winter. What you can do in the utilization 
of these sowings will depend on the nature of your appliances, 
and you will sow accordingly ; but you cannot ensure a supply 
of lettuces in February and March, when they are very much 
wanted, without the aid of pits and frames or some similar 
kind of protectors. In these they should be planted with 
care and kept as hardy as possible by being close to the glass 
and having abundant ventilation at all times, except when 
severe frosts prevails. They may be planted pretty close in 
the frames, and as they are drawn for use, those remaining 
will have room to swell. Early in March get ready a piece 
of good ground in a sheltered, sunny spot, and on it plant 
with care a lot of the Brown Cos that have been protected, 
and give them a litttle extra attention, and you may expect 
delicious lettuces in May. As for the Hammersmith, they 
must not be planted out in March, for they will bolt, that is, 
run to seed, almost immediately. 
If the work is well managed, there will be a regular plant 
on the seed beds, for the plantations under frames and on 
sheltered borders will be made with the thinnings, leaving 
those in the seed beds in rows a foot apart and four inches 
apart in the row. In a mild winter all will survive, and the 
spring supply may be largely assisted by thinning from the 
beds, for the smallest of lettuces is useful in the salad 
bowl. Those left to swell off will be fine lettuces from April 
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