The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1929-06-27
HEAR LETTUCE

\
ou;no to the good returns re.
49, for many growers last year
celss1 +be fall head lettuce crop
IRON saems TO be an intention &c
there Considerable acreage TINS
plals since there is very little ,de1,
mite printed information on nea !,
1 ,nttu growing, we felt that 4
would he well to run short ai1l'
e J on the crop, especially COVERING
nnrenaration of soil. We feel ina,
those intending to grow iettue.
should make a special effort 70 Pu'
soil into as near ideal conditions
for lettuce as they possibly Ca,
th;s season as there will be pos.
s;h;litv that returns will not be as
GOOD as last year and heavy a, pr ,,
auction of good quality Will prov,
ablv no necessary to make a goo'
return this year.
r,,e rather sandy soil makes
ad soil for lettuce production al.
g Z. s ri # NAV be produced on tne
l. u u ~
lhousa ao,anact soils. We would no'
commend l.u, a pure sand for lettuce
90 Il would be apt to be zoo po,-
a 90 The sandy type of soil lends
itself to irrigation, warns up rea-
sonably well during the day time
and cools off in good shape at
n;obt The essential soil require
nents are, first, high state OF Ter
tility: second, plenty OF organic
matter; third, good physical conoi-
ton.
All of the above soil require
ments can be met probably best,
NV tbe addition of large quantities
of barnyard manure to the soil. we
understand that many growers fer
tilize the ground heavily during the
winter or early spring and grow
some early crops on the soil and
then prepare the ground for the
lettuce which is to be planted early
in August. By this time the ma
nure has been weel Incorporated IN
to the soil and bringing about a
good physical condition with pien-
ty of humus and the fertility has
been distributed thru the soil TO
a point that plants can get 1T 20
the best advantage. In order to op-
tain high yields and an excellent
quality of lettuce, it seems to De
necessary to apply from 80 to AZ
tons of we'll rotted barnyard ma
nure to soils which have not pro-
duced this crop before. This appn-
cation of 10 to Is tons the 1oiioW,
mo season. Where alfalfa ground
is plowed up to be used for lettuce,
10 to is tons of manure is usuaily
found advisable. If alfalfa is 70 DC
niowed no. we would rather recon-
p ,,aent that it be plowed during the
growing season at some tlMe 50
that crown and roots would Dreak
down more readily. In some cases
- order to increase the available
fertility f. present, 100 to 100 IDS.
of nulverized sheep manure Is ap-
- ui;ed to an acre Immediately after
th;nr;no of the crop. Lettuce must
-, quickly in order to have the
s-;snness which is essential to the
rrodnction Of a good crop.
= The need of such large quaint,
A .,.nure. we believe, should
convince con growers of lettuce that IN
Nos most eases at least, these manures
, MI have to be produced on the
r m.r We believe that head lettuce
= a.o 80 small acreages or
4he farm where livestock is kept
should be a good cash crop. We be-
I;eve that if the crop were largely
rrown on farms of this type whert
roanure is available and that farm
larc hold the acreage down to where
thew will have sufficient fertilizer
TO take care of the crop within TO
tation, that the soils of the farm
may be maintained in good till
and fertility and at the same time
there would not be the serious Owe
production that often threatens {;
crop such as this where large re
turns are obtained from an acre
We would particularly urge tina
farmers give this last thought
careful attention.