June 19. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
205 
ilig suspending plants, and keeping them fresh and 
green through the hottest days of summer. Moss is 
not half so much used as it deserves. As a mulching 
for American plants there is nothing equal to it. It 
acts as a non-conductor two ways. It not only prevents 
the heat of the sun drying up the moisture, but it pre¬ 
vents that moisture from evaporating from the soil. 
T. Appleby. 
( To he continued.) 
Peas and Strawberries in North America.— 
We learn from the Norfolk Argus (May lOtli), that Peas 
and Strawberries were then in the Norfolk market from 
gardens in the vicinity of that city. Peas three dollars 
per peck—Strawberries two dollars a gallon. 
An Extensive Farmer. —Michal L. Sullivan, an 
Illinois farmer, it is said, is about to sow ten thousand 
acres of land in corn He was one of tho largest 
farmers in the State of Ohio for many years, and, 
according to a contemporary, he could ride in a direct 
course fifteen miles through his own corn-field .—(New 
York Independent.) 
CULTIVATION OF LETTUCES ON DRY 
SOILS. 
A good, well-blanched Coss Lettuce is at all times 
acceptable, and in the hot weather of the dog-days 
doubly so. Now, every garden is not adapted to its 
growth at such times; and it will be useful to explain 
what may be done to overcome the evils attending a 
place too poor or dry. 
In the first place, we all know that a garden having 
a hungry, sandy, or gravelly soil, not well supplied with 
j manure, either in a liquid or solid state, is not the one 
I to expect good Lettuce from in a dry season. A hot sun 
j speedily withdraws all the moisture that is within its 
reach, unless it be assisted, to a liberal extent, by 
manure in some shape or other; and the drain there is 
on that substance renders it necessary to look well to 
the best means of supplying it in just such quantities 
as may be wanted, and also at the precise time when it 
is called for. 
This renders it advisable to give manure always 
in a fluid state to crops like Lettuce on dry, hungry 
soils, for in that condition, and when tho plant wants 
it, a certain amount of vigour as well as moisture 
is ensured to the produce. Now, this feeding matter 
ought to be carefully prepared and administered, and 
only so much of it used as needs be at a time ; in ad¬ 
dition to which, means must be taken to improve or 
deepen tho surface-soil of such dry ground, by adding 
anything that can be obtained of an opposite kind,— 
marl, loam, road or ditch scrapings, and even clay 
itself, will be of service in such a case; for what is 
mostly wanted, is something that will prevent that 
hasty escape of water, which is the ruin of light soils, 
while it too often happens that the substratum is of too 
barren a character for roots to be tempted into it and 
prosper. 
Some light soils do contain a substratum useful and 
agreeable to vegetation. A sandstone shatter is of this 
description, for on it many things thrive well when the 
surface-soil presents only a few inches of loose stony 
matter. A limestone bottom is also good; but this 
often presents a tolerably good depth of soil, and that 
of tho best kind. Flint too often betokens chalk, and 
is only adapted to a certain class of plants,—good 
Lettuce not being of that number; but where there is 
no choice in the matter, liberal applications of water 
will make such a soil productive, addiug, as stated 
above, manure at the time when the plants are in a 
growing state. This manuring must be continued while 
dry weather lasts, otherwise the check which tho plant 
receives at the time it ceases to receive its periodical 
allowance will occasion its running to seed, on a like 
1 principle that Pines and some other things are thrown 
into tlower or fruit by similar means. 
To have really good, well-blanched, and crisp Lettuce 
j on dry soils, in a dry, hot season, be sure and sow only 
the newest seed that can bo had, and let it be sown 
where it has to remain, thinning the plants carefully, 
j and commencing watering early,—say by the time they 
j are about the size for planting. Continue this every 
I two or three days, as tho weather and other cireum- 
I stances may seem to require, taking care to increase the 
1 quantity or quality of liquid-manure as the plant ad¬ 
vances in size, and towards the last, daily waterings 
will not bo too often if the weather be exceedingly 
j dry; of course, using soft water, if possible, or, if not 
to be had, let the other water stand some hours in the 
J sun before using, for cold spring-water is at variance 
| with the well-being of all plants. 
i Give a good soaking when you do water, for in this 
case there is no danger of giving too much on ground 
so naturally drained ; but when manure-water is given, 
it would be better to give no more than would just 
moisten the soil as deep as the roots are; but in all this 
watering some care must be taken to prevent it from 
evaporating too quickly at top. Leaf-mould is the most 
tidy-looking substance, which can also with advantage 
be dug into the ground afterwards; but if that cannot 
be had, something else must be substituted. Moss is 
often a prevailing article on such lands, and quantities 
of that may be had; but it would be bettor not to lay 
it on until the plants have attained some size, as it 
harbours slugs so much, and the quautity wanted is too 
great to allow of its being all scalded. Short grass will 
also do, or, in fact, anything that will check evapora¬ 
tion ; the object being to keep the roots of the plants in 
a uniform moist, warm state; for it is a mistake to expect 
a good result where there is much difference between the 
top and bottom temperatures of the plants. 
Besides the care necessary, as above, in encouraging 
a healthy growth, there is much advantage in having the 
best variety to cultivate. The Bath Coss, which is now 
issued under various names, is as good as any; but 
excellence depends on the care with which the variety 
has been kept from contact with others while seeding. 
Other local circumstances also affect it; but it is not a 
bad practice to sow several kinds at once, and mark the 
result. Most likely there will be a difference in their 
qualifications for resisting the temptation to run to seed. 
Sowing where they are to remain, as above, being, 
perhaps, the most important point to attend to ; and if 
it could bo done on the north side of a wall, so much 
the better. The shade of trees is hardly so good, for 
they often rob the plants by their roots as well as iujure 
them by the shade they give them. Above all, use 
manure-water plentifully, and tho result will hardly fail 
to be favourable. 
It would be as well to remark here, that in the sowing 
of this crop in dry weather, recourse must bo had to the 
watering-pot as well before the seed is put in as at any 
other time. A good watering of the ground before 
sowing, and shading after, will often coax the plants up 
with less detriment to the ground than when repeated 
waterings are obliged to be made after that operation is 
done. Be careful, also, to water well at all times when 
