AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
43 
Ed. —Not any ; except, as I before stated, 
when planted in cold, wet, and unfavorable 
soils. 
Sub .—This point settled, which has been 
the greatest bug-bear in the way of autumn 
transplanting, leaves little doubt of its being 
far the best season. Your fourth, fifth, and 
sixth propositions appear to decide the ques¬ 
tion. There can be no doubt of the better 
ability of the trees to send out roots early in 
the spring, which will enable them to resist 
June and July drouths, so trying to all trans¬ 
planted trees. 
Ed. —Have you ever carefully noted down 
the changes in the growth of newly planted 
trees? If not, do so another year. Y'ou 
will find that a tree set out in April will break 
freely, and start into growth vigorously; 
but by the time our early rains are over and 
dry weather sets in, then they often come to 
a dead stand—scarcely another shoot will 
they make all summer. Just at the time the 
greatest supply of sap is required, the tree is 
unable to give it, as it has not yet established 
itself sufficiently to furnish that supply; con¬ 
sequently the growth stops, and in many in¬ 
stances death ensues. 
Sub. —Without noting particularly the con¬ 
dition of trees which I have transplanted in 
the early part of the season, I have lost too 
many not to be aware that, in June or July, 
they generally have completed about all the 
growth they make the first year. 
Ed. —Now give the same attention to those 
you set out in the fall. You will find they 
will rarely start so early, and generally not 
so vigorously, as the spring-planted ones. 
They come along slow, but sure—no faster 
han the roots arc made which have got the 
start of the shoots—and in July and August 
will make almost as much wood as an old- 
established tree. If, again, you look into the 
subject thoroughly, you will find the roots 
are at work long before the surface of the 
soil is loosened from its frosty hold. Just 
as we see an old tree, after one or two hot 
days in April or May, break at once into leaf. 
If, however, the frost was not out, the tree 
would remain stationary; this shows that 
there is root action long before we see it in¬ 
dicated by the breaking of the buds. 
Sub. —Very reasonable and true. It must 
weaken the energies of any tree making 
much wood to attempt to supply the food 
which a week of June or July weather would 
extract. 
Ed .—Precisely so, and a little observation 
will convince any one of this. 
Sub. —Something has been said in favor of 
the autumn, that trees make roots after they 
are set out at this season. Is this so ? 
Ed .—This question is not one] of doubt, 
but of fact. Captain Lovett, in an article in 
our Magazine some years ago, has shown 
that trees transplanted early in the autumn 
(October) always put out new roots before 
winter, and tender kinds when protected by 
a covering of manure or leaves to keep out 
the frost; the root-making process goes on 
until mid-winter, and we are inclined to be¬ 
lieve all winter. 
Sub.— -My observation, though somewhat 
mited, has, however, convinced me that 
the reasons you give in favor of autumn 
transplanting are founded on sound princi¬ 
ples, and when understood can not fail to be 
generally followed.—Hovey’s Magazine. 
THE CULTIVATION OF LETTUCE. 
BY WILLIAM CHORLTON. 
The lettuce being so common a vegetable, 
your readers may think any thing superflu¬ 
ous that may be said respecting such an 
every-day article, but as we are constantly 
filling the periodicals with all other depart¬ 
ments of gardening affairs to the almost ex¬ 
clusion of kitchen requisites, you will per¬ 
haps excuse a little “jog trot ” in this way 
once in a while ; and as a cooling, tender, 
crisp lettuce is so grateful an accompani¬ 
ment on the table among other things, let us 
see what can be said respecting its culture 
and the immediate connections. 
The indigenous country of this edible now 
in its modern form is not positively known, 
and its earliest history is wrapped in obscuri¬ 
ty. Like many other things of a similar 
character, we enjoy the luxury without being 
cognizant of the origin, but, thanks to our 
now more enlightening policy, we can pro¬ 
claim to the world our progress, and instead 
of being trammeled by the mystery and ex¬ 
clusiveness of the dark ages, our onward ac¬ 
tion or new discoveries can be handed down 
to posterity. It is generally acknowledged 
that Egypt, the Island of Cos, and the Levant 
have furnished many of the varieties. All 
the cultivated kinds are considered to have 
emanated from Lactuca sativa, but the prob¬ 
ability is that several species of that genus 
have each furnished their quota to make up 
the general aggregate, and, that the particu¬ 
lar species named is only a conglomerated 
distinction. This is more likely when we ex¬ 
amine the extensive geographical range of 
the family in a state of nature, and it is most 
likely that each country where it was an¬ 
ciently cultivated, has had its distinct type. 
This is partly proved by the difference of 
hardiness that exists between the different 
classes, and other peculiarities, even at the 
present day; and the time has notlonggone 
by when the distinction was much greater, 
on account of the lesser number of sorts 
that then existed. 
The genus Lactuca, from the Latin word 
lac, from the milky juice with which it 
abounds, belongs to the very numerous nat¬ 
ural order Compositae, and was arranged by 
Linnaeus in his nineteenth class, Syngenesia, 
and first order ffdqualis ; there are aborigi¬ 
nal representations in various parts of the 
eastern and western hemispheres. 
In a normal condition some of the species 
are poisonous, but as we have the varieties 
in cultivation, they are cooling and comfort¬ 
able to the stomach if taken in moderation, 
notwithstanding which, if eaten to excess, 
they willproduce drowsiness and a lethar¬ 
gic feeling. The dried juice furnishes a mild 
form of opium, which may be given to ad¬ 
vantage in disease, when that made from the 
poppy could not be administered. 
The lettuce is divided into two classes, viz : 
Cabbage and Cos ; the outside leaves of the 
former spread out flat on the ground, and the 
inner ones incurve upwards so as to form a 
solid head, the inside of which, from the 
compactness and exclusion of light, become 
tender and free from bitterness ; while the 
latter is more upright, and requires the leaves 
to be tied together near the top some two 
weeks before use. In temperate and cool 
latitudes some sorts of Cos do well, are of 
very superior flavor, and grow large, but with 
us they are not hardy enough to bear the 
winter, and sprout up for seed too soon in 
summer, which makes it necessary to adopt 
the cabbage varieties. The following de¬ 
scriptive list contains some of the best kinds 
in cultivation. 
Hardy Green or Hammersmith —Small, 
close, and solid head, leaves bright green, 
very hardy, good for winter. 
White or Curled Silesia —Heads well, 
leaves whitish yellow, curled and cut on the 
edges, crisp, and good flavored. Best for 
summer, as it stands the heat well. 
Malta Cabbage or Drumhead —Large, close 
head, leaves whitish green ; tender, crisp, 
and sweet flavored. A fine lettuce for spring 
and fall use. 
Early White Cabbage or Butler —Yellow¬ 
ish green, does not head close, but a good 
sort for forcing. 
Loco Foco —Large, green, and like hi leaf 
to Silesia, suitable for winter, being hardy. 
Brown Dutch —Close head, leaves brown 
ish green, good flavor, and very hardy for 
winter. 
When fancy leads that way, the Brown 
Bath , and Paris Cos, are about the two best 
of the class. The former is hardy and fine 
flavored, but the latter will stand the heat 
of summer better. 
The lettuce delights in a mellow and rich 
soil, and if the best quality be required, the 
organic parts of the material ought to be 
well decomposed, consequently good rotted 
barn-yard manure will not be lost when judi¬ 
ciously applied to this crop, neither will the 
free use of it, if thoroughly disseminated, be 
contrary to economy. Good culture is in¬ 
dispensable in the production of the best 
quality of all kitchen vegetables, and so in 
this. Work the soil well, dig deep, and 
break the clods fine with the spade, adding 
a sufficiency of dung, and our word for it, 
the extra labor will meet with a correspond¬ 
ing return profit. 
With a little foresight and management, 
this esculent may be had fit for use the year 
round, and the following few remarks are 
penned to show how this may be carried out. 
As the present is about the time to prepare 
for early winter, we will begin with the crop 
for that purpose first. About the third week 
in August, sow the seed in drills a foot apart, 
and half an inch deep. If the weather be 
moist no watering will be required ; but if 
dry, a good soaking should be applied a short 
time previous to sowing. When the young 
plants have grown five or six leaves they 
will be ready for transplanting, which may 
be done in the usual way, about ten inches 
asunder. As these will be ready for use a 
little previous to winter, and it is expected 
