New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 339 
The watering was usually done early enough in the day to 
have the atmosphere dry at night. On bright days the atmos- 
phere was made moist by wetting the walks and floors, and the 
plants were syringed lightly if they showed a tendency to wilt. 
VENTILATION AND TEMPERATURE, 
The ventilation was managed so as to avoid cold draughts 
and sudden changes in temperature. The greatest care was 
required to prevent tipburn after the plants began to head. On 
a bright day following a period of dull dark weather the temper- 
ature was constantly watched and especial care taken to hold 
it nearly as low as it had been on the dark days and at the 
same time the atmosphere was kept moist by following the 
method above described. 
The night temperature was kept between 45° and 55°; the 
day temperature from 60° to 65° in dull weather, but on sunny 
days it was allowed to run up to 70°. During the period of 
germination and also just before the plants matured ‘he temper- 
ature was kept somewhat lower than it was during the season of 
more active growth. 
HARVESTING THE CROP. 
The crop was not cut till the earliest-maturing heads had fully 
developed into prime marketable condition. Then the whole 
crop was cut. The loose lettuce and head lettuce were not cut 
at the same time, however, because the crops did not mature 
at the same time. In 1890-00 the head lettuce was cut about 
two weeks before it would have matured, as explained in the 
notes for that crop. 
Each head was weighed as soon as it was cut, before it had a 
chance to lose weight by evaporation. Full records were made 
of the character of the plant, including its weight. The limits 
of this report will not permit the publication of all these data, 
but so much of them is given as appears necessary to establish 
the facts brought out by the investigation. 
