The Glenwood post., 1922-04-06
concerning HEAD
LETTUCE INDUSTRY
Practical Treatise on the Plant
iag, Growing and Harvest
ing New Crop
ATTENTION FARMERS

With a view of being helpful and of
giving needed advice to our farmer
friends who contemplate embarking in
the new industry, that of growing head
lettuce for the market, The Post asked
Mr.. Thomas J. Bennett to furniah Us
an article on the subject, and Mr..
Bennett has kindly contributed the
following interesting treatise on the
subject. We advise those farmers
who are or who later may be interested
in lettuce culture, to preserve this ar-
ticle for future reference:
Culture Of the Soil
A dark, rich, loamy soil and quick
unchecked growth are essential to the
successful growth of lettuce. 1t should
never be planted on light colored or
poor, thin soil. The reflection of the
sun on light colored soil, during hot
weather, often causes the lettuce to
sunburn, and on poor, thin soil, the
heads will be small and the lettuce
tough and undesirable. If the soil is
poor, it should be made rich by liberal
application of well decayed manure
Never plant in fresh manured ground.
Preparation of the Soil
The seed bed is of prime Importance
to the successful growth of lettuce.
The ground should, if possible, be
plowcd in the fall. Better to miss a
coat of manure than fall plowing. The
ground should be thoroughly pulver-
lied and, if freshly manured, the ma
nure should he well worked into the
soil. There is no crop in which .
rich, well prepared seed bed is more
successful.
Good seed is the first requisite Of
good lettuce, and no matter how good
the soil or cultivation, without good
seed the crop will be failure. One
ounce for 400 feet, two pounds for
one acre.
Seeders and Cultivators
would advise lettuce growers TO
buy the Planet Jr., and Iron Age seed
ers. They are both good. It is
matter Of choice as to which is best.
The Planet Jr. is perhaps the most
popular for general seeding. OF the
Planet Jrs., the No. 3 model is the
hest exclusive seeder, and the No. 25
combined seeder and cultivator the
best combined machine for hand work.
Of the Iron Age, No. 31s model is con
sidered the best. Any of these can be
easily attached to cultivator frame,
and whore there Is an extensive area
age to be seeded, they are great time
and labor savers. The No. SO Planet
Jr., two-row beet and bean cultivator
is one of the best for seeding and cul-
tivating lettuce. Two or three seed
drills can be easily and inexpensively
attached to it, enabling one or two
men to do the work of ten, and do il
much quicker and better. 1t is a great
time and labor saver, and every grow
or having five acres or more Of let
tuce should have one. An ideal way to
use this tool rs seeder is to couple
two seeders together and attach. TO the
center Of the axle Of the cultivator,
letting the horse walk in the furrow
and seed two rows at time.
FOR fransplant1ng
The plants may be grown in hot or
cold frames and transplanted to the
field as soon a. weather will permit
in the spring.
apgiag Ssed1ng
Spring seeding may be made - soon
in the spring ~ the ground can bs
sstisfsctorily worked. Sow the sssd
i to IN inches dsep in drills ls to ~
inches apart az desired or conditions
warrant. A very common pfseties
With some Of the bsst growers Is TO
corrueste Fows 80 10 - iaehes apart
and drill the seed in on cash sids Of
ths furrow. This farrsw can b. ussd
foe ir.isstiag The two rs~s at ono
time, in esss irrigation Il necessary.
When sssdias tAis WY, tAsrs Z .
space Of 10 70 ~ insAss - he side
~ A..sA -. -Ai>h 4. ~~.a1. .S