August, 1912 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
101 
Where there is available space in a greenhouse, even the sim¬ 
plest sort of a home-made one, where the temperature never goes 
below 35 degrees and can be kept at 40 to 45 at night, let¬ 
tuce can easily be had all through the winter. Grand Rapids is 
by far the most satisfactory sort to grow, as it requires some 
experience and a pretty thorough control of conditions to bring 
head lettuce safely to maturity where 
artificial heat is used. The three main 
essentials to success are having the 
earth, which should be not less than five 
inches deep, and better eight, very rich 
and porous; keeping the leaves and the 
surface of the soil dry by watering only 
on sunny mornings and as seldom as 
possible; and spraying or fumigating 
thoroughly to keep down the green fly 
or plant lice (aphids). 
Another salad plant much appreci¬ 
ated for fall and winter is endive. In 
habit of growth it somewhat resembles 
lettuce, but requires more room, and to 
be of good quality must be well 
blanched. 
For use this fall, endive should be • 
sown before the tenth of August. Sow 
thinly in drills from eighteen inches to 
two feet apart, and when well up thin 
to twelve inches. Give a light top¬ 
dressing of nitrate of soda to induce 
quick growth and keep thoroughly cul¬ 
tivated, as the quality depends .largely 
upon the rapidity of growth. As the 
plants attain full size, tie up each head 
with soft string or raffia or set two wide 
boards over the row in A-shape, to 
blanch the leaves. The boards have 
the further advantage of affording pro¬ 
tection from frost in fall. Any plants 
remaining unused may be lifted with 
plenty of earth and transferred to a 
coldframe, and there kept, by protect¬ 
ing with sashes, several weeks longer. 
It is well to make a late sowing, about 
August 15th, for this purpose. The 
plants should be handled only when dry. Broad-leaved Bartavian 
is the sort most generally grown, but for the home garden I 
prefer Giant Fringed. 
For an extra early spring salad, sow Corn Salad (Fetticus) 
August 15th to September 15th. Sow quite thickly in rows 
15 to 18 inches apart, covering lightly but firmly. Thin out as 
for lettuce, keep very free from weeds, and as hard freezing 
comes on, cover with light mulching of meadow hay held in place 
by pieces of wood or branches. 
The leaves of the large-rooted or coffee chicory, when thor¬ 
oughly blanched, have long been considered a very good salad. 
Within the past few years, however, a new sort, called Wittoof, 
has become quite generally used. In many places it is known as 
French endive. Seed is sown in May 
or June, either in seed-bed for trans¬ 
planting, or in rows, 15 to 18 inches 
apart and thinned to six inches. Late 
in the fall, the roots, which somewhat 
resemble a parsnip, may be taken up, 
the leaves cut off, and trenched in a 
frame or some sheltered position. 
Cover with mellow, sandy soil to a 
depth of six inches or more. Over this 
is put a layer of warm manure, two 
feet or so thick, which serves the double 
purpose of inducing a new growth of 
leaves which will be tightly folded and 
perfectly blanched, and also of protect¬ 
ing from frost, so that they may be 
got at any time, and used as required 
during the winter. Where one has no 
greenhouse and does not wish to as¬ 
sume the somewhat difficult task of 
managing winter hotbeds for lettuce, 
this salad is a great acquisition. For 
late fall use the plants may be gradu¬ 
ally banked up with earth like celery, 
during late summer. 
The first spring crop of lettuce should 
be started in the house, or, if one has 
not a greenhouse, in a warm sunny 
window, by the first of February. As 
soon as the second true leaves appear, 
transplant two to three inches apart 
each way, and keep growing rapidly, 
so that they may be large enough to 
set in the frames by the middle of 
March, if possible. It may seem that 
this is looking a long way ahead, but 
remember that most of the work must 
be done this fall, before the ground 
freezes. In the first place put a supply of light, fine soil, where 
it will not freeze, and if possible, where it will not get dust dry, 
though this may be overcome by soaking it up again gradually 
when it is required. In the second place, have your hotbed or 
coldframe ready and as tight as possible, and fill it up with 
manure under the sash, to keep the ground from freezing hard 
( Continued on page in) 
When planting your garden supply of lettuce for 
best results plant a small amount of seeds every 
two or three weeks 
Tie up endive heads or cover with 
wide boards or branches 
When the ground is in condition outside plant the Grand Rapids or 
Big Boston types to carry over until the summer crop comes on 
Endive is very 
Chickoree 
often known 
ar Escarole 
