340 Report oF THE HorTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT OF THD 
NOTES ON CROPS. 
SEASON OF 1898-99, 
Rawson Hothouse, a variety of head lettuce, was used alone 
for the crop of 1898-99. The seed was sown Dec. 30, 1898. 
Germination began to show Jan. 6. The plants were thinned 
after the manner already described till but one was left in each 
place. Within a month after planting it was evident that on the 
check soils the lettuce was suffering from lack of food. The 
plants were stunted and the foliage bronzed. In the clay loam 
without manure the use of commercial fertilizers resulted in a 
somewhat better growth, but the plants were not always as good 
in color, nor were they in nearly so vigorous, growing condition 
as the plants on soils treated with manure. The differences 
between these plants and those on corresponding soils which 
received manure was very marked. On the latter soils the 
plants, although yet small, were healthy and growing rapidly. 
These differences became more pronounced as the plants 
developed. 
The entire crop was harvested Apr. 3. Each plant was cut 
at the surface of the ground and immediately weighed. The 
average weight per plant for each of the different treatments 
and the ratio of the yield to the yield on the corresponding 
- check soil are shown in the table on page 345. It was apparent 
that the use of the commercial fertilizers did not force the crop 
as rapidly to maturity as did the stable manure, although it 
resulted in a decided gain in yield as compared with the check 
soils. The addition of even the least amount of manure which 
was used, 5 per ct. by weight, showed a striking increase in 
the crop. Thus, while the 12 heads of lettuce from the soil 
which reccived dried blood but no manure averaged 0.75 oz. 
per head, the 12 heads on corresponding soil to which 5 per ct. 
of manure was added weighed, on the average, 4.13 ozs. per 
head. This increase is all the more significant, because the for- 
mer had received in commercial fertilizers far more plant food 
than a full crop contains. It indicates that the proper use of 
