I judge these varieties from the standpoint of the market gardener, who has need to study the market and find out kinds most acceptable to the consumer. The things most desired are tenderness and size of head ; the shape and color of leaf or head are points on which there is much difference of opinion. When these points are united in a single variety to the buyer's satisfaction, a market is secured. The keeping qualities of lettuce after pulling and ability to endure rough or distant transportation, the quality of leaf, and ability to stand summer heat and winter cold, are other qualities desired by the grower; a lettuce good for raising in hot-beds is often useless grown out doors, and an early summer lettuce is not adapted for mid-summer. The market demands a constant supply, and this is best secured by combining excellence with variety.

The first seed sown is usually White-seeded Tennis Ball (Boston Market). This, sown in January, can be set out in hot-beds in February ; in February, seed of lettuce intended for growing early out of doors is sown. For this latter sowing I use White-seeded Tennis Ball, Maule's Hanson, Burpee's Hard Head, Henderson's New York, Tomhannock, Oak-leaved. These make a good succession till July 15, by sowing the seed at short intervals within thirty days, and in the order given. Another good combination is Burpee's Hard Head, Hanson, Boston Curled, Perpetual, Burpee's Midsummer. Both these lists give texture, color, size and form in lettuce in a way to suit a variety of tastes. Another list, and a good one, is Boston Market, Deacon, Simpson, Grand Rapids, Curled India.

White-seeded Tennis Ball is good for forcing, and Grand Rapids is one of the best. In out-door culture, the Black-seeded Tennis Ball is apt to be darker leaved and poorer quality ; it heads evenly and all at once, and must be cut as soon as the heads are formed, for if not, the heads open, showing the seed stalk, and are then unfit for sale. Maule's Hanson is the best strain of that variety of lettuce I have found ; for two years I have had many single heads weighing three pounds apiece. It is very sure to head and has few sports, while the period of cutting extends over three weeks. Burpee's Hard Head is similar in form to Tennis Ball, but having red and green on the outer leaves, the heart being yellow ; remains two weeks in condition to market, endures heat well, and is a sure header. Henderson's New York is large, strong growing, dark leaved, standing summer heat well, the leaf being rather thick and tough for an early lettuce. It has a very large head, and remains a long time fit to cut.

Tomhannock I have used for a hot weather lettuce in July, with good success. Leaves upright, tender, large, red and yellow ; very satisfactory to some buyers; not a hard head. Oak-leaved is one of the best for hot weather lettuce, remaining edible for a long time, as it does not run up to seed readily ; the form of the leaves is peculiar; there is no head, only compact leaves; the color is lemon yellow. Perpetual is a good tender summer lettuce, not running to seed rapidly, but having little or no head. Burpee's Midsummer is quite brown in cool spring weather, but under high summer heat it bleaches to a golden yellow heart, and makes a large good head. Deacon is a remarkably large, compact head, strong growing; fit for either spring or summer, but it is thick leaved, and consequently neglected in the market when soft-leaved or more tender lettuce is offered. Grand Rapids lettuce, after two seasons' trial, proves a good all round lettuce, growing in heat or cold, and making light colored, tender, soft heads, being specially valuable for forcing. Boston Curled, Curled India, Simpson, Hanson, are all old forms of lettuce, and are good, but are now, I believe, superseded by other kinds which are better. This list seems to me to contain all the best varieties, so far as tried.

They, in turn, may be superseded by better kinds, but for this season, these will be found excellent. W. H. Bull.

Hampden Co., Mass.