1885 - E. L. Sturtevant: Lettuce, Lettuce, and More Lettuce

A deliciously thorough listing and description of 85 lettuces grown and evaluated at the New York Agricultural Station in 1885.  Reading the names aloud is a relaxing exercise!  

Again the pedantic, delightfully OCD style of E. L. Sturtevant enchants me. Heaven knows why, but it does!   His explanation of meanings of abbreviations makes my eyes roll.  As usual, I have broken up his dense paragraphs for web reading and in other ways tried to make it easier to read.  It took forever to find illustrations for most all of the lettuces...   

I am finding interesting the different names given to seemingly identical plants by the different seedsmen. Showmanship sells, and the names reflect the times, often appearing quirky or downright odd to the modern reader!    My favorite so far for any vegetable is Livingston & Sons' Telephone Peas . :-)  It is also nice to find varieties that have survived to this day!

As usual, my comments inserted in the article are in red.

Before you start the  article, here is an animated gif made from a stereoscopic view card.

The New York Public Library has on online app to allow you to try and do this!

This is a little annoying, but it does show a lettuce field. 

Beds of lettuce, young man with wheel hoe, girls with common hoes, near Buffalo, N.Y., U.S.A. [1865?-1905?] 1906

At the New York Agricultural Experiment Station in 1885, eighty-three distinct varieties of lettuce were grown under nearly two hundred different names. These lettuces present to the on-looker three distinct form-species, the lanceolate-leaved, the Cos and the cabbage.

It is a pertinent inquiry as to whether these form-species are of distinct origin, or have been produced by cultivation within recent times, and hence we offer a succinct account of our historical investigations. 

The lanceolate-leaved form is represented with us by one variety only,– the Deer's Tongue,

Bauhin 1671

introduced as a seedman’s novelty in 1883. The type of this form is perhaps referred to by Pliny, lib. XIX, c. 38, “praeterea longi et angusti, intubi similis”(TRANSLATION?:Furthermore, the long and narrow, like those of endive), as this plant of ours has a chicory-like appearance in some stages of its growth. 

 It is certainly mentioned by Bauhin in 1621 and credited in his synonymy to Castor, 1585; and is figured by Bauhin in 1671.  Wilmorint, 1883, refers to this type of lettuce under the name Romaine asperge,  Lactuca angustana, Hort., and a variety L. cracoviensis, Hort. 

L. angustana Allionii, 1785, seems to be of this form-species, and is recorded as found wild in Switzerland, and Martyn's Millers Dictionary deems the Chicoreum Constantinopolitanum of Parkinson, 1640, to have some affinity to it. 

Spines!

The Cos lettuces are distinguished by the upright growth of the root leaves, and the elongated and spatulate form of the leaf; they are also subject to a flattening of the stalk through fasciation. They were certainly known to the ancient Romans, as witness Pliny's statements: “Diligentiores plura genera faciunt: purpureas crispas, Cappedocas, Graecos, Longioris has folii caulesque lati: praetaeterea longi et angusti, intubi similis.” 

("It was known to the Romans, who usually ate lettuce cooked, as Cappadocian lettuce, and was called Roman lettuce due to the Romans belief in its healthful and healing properties." source)
The following photo is from a very nice article about a Cappadocian farmers market!

Romaine Lettuce. Farmers Market. Cappadocia, Turkey

Palladius's mention of the process of blanching can also be quoted: “Candidae fieri putantur, si fluminis arena vel litoris frequentur spargatur in medias, & collectis ipsae foliis alligentur.”

The Cos lettuce is the Lactuca Romana dulcior, nigriore & Scariole hortensis folio, semine nigro of Pena & Lobel", 1570.

Bauhin in his Pinax, considers this form to be the L. foliis obscuris virentibus, nigra Plinio of Dodonaeus”, the L. nigra of Caesalpinus, 1583, and the L. Romana of Castor Durantes, 1585.

In the sixteenth century the Cos form seems to have been less grown in northern Europe than in the south, for Pena & Lobel say it is rarely cultivated in France and Germany, - more frequently in Italy, especially at Rome. 

The class of cabbage lettuces are distinguished by the rounded and spatulate leaf which grows less upright than the Cos, although the commentators of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries deem this class to have been known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and identical with the Laconicon of Pliny and the Tartesian, or Baetica, of Columella, yet I am unable to find any certain evidence. 

The only word I find in Pliny which could suggest this class is “crispa,” which may be translated “wrinkled,” and as a class the cabbage lettuces are more wrinkled or blistered than are the Cos. Columella was a native of Gades, but resided principally at Rome. 

He speaks of two kinds which may belong to this class,— one the Cappadocean “Tertia, quae spisso, sed puro vertice pallet,” and “quae pallido & pexo densoque folio viret”;  the other the Tartesian, or Baetica, which he says is from his country  “Et mea, quam generant Tartesi litore Gades Canida virbrato discrimine, candida thyrso est,”
and “quae deinde candida est & crispissimi folii, ut in provincia Baetica & finibus Gaditani municipii.”    (Huh?  Google translate didn't do magic for me this time, and my Latin from five decades ago has wafted away...)

The words “vibrato discrimine” and “crispissimi folii” would imply a curled cutting lettuce. The heading lettuces of this class were however well known to the writers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Anton Linaeus, 1561 figures one which closely resembles the Stone Tennis Ball variety of our gardens, and Bauhin in his synonymy identifies with varieties described by Taragus, 1553, Tabernaemontanus 1588, Matthiolus 1586, Gerarde

1597, etc.

Whether the types of the Cos and the cabbage form species occur in nature, I have not the material for study to determine. De Candollet says “botanists are agreed in considering the cultivated lettuce as a modification of the wild species called Lactuca scariola. The latter grows in temperate and southern Europe, in the Canary Isles, Maderia, Algeria, Abyssinia, and in the temperate regions of Eastern Asia. 
Boissier speaks of specimens from Arabia Petrea to Mesopotamia and the Caucasus. He mentions a variety with crinkled leaves, similar therefore to some of our garden lettuces, which the traveler Hausknecht brought with him from the mountains of Kurdistan. 
I have a specimen from Siberia, found near the river Irtysch, and it is now known with certainty that the species grows in the north of India, in Kashmir and in Nepal. From this reference we might infer that the Kurdistan form belonging to the cabbage type, as possessing distinctly wrinkled or Savoy-like leaves, while the description of the ordinary L. scariola of Europe implies the Cos type.

I have not opportunity of access to herbariums whereby I can hope to satisfy myself of the conditions of the wild forms from various countries, but such evidence as I have here outlined strongly supports the hypothesis that our three form-species of lettuce have originated from wild forms which have been brought into culture in different regions, and hence that our three form-species have different origin. 

The history of lettuce, as published, affords no clue towards settling this point. Lettuces are supposed to have been grown by the Persians some five hundred years before Christ, and to have been introduced into China between the years 600 and 900 of era: they were mentioned by Chaucer in England in the fourteenth century, and reached America with Columbus.

End of article - 
The Lettuce, by E.L. Sturtevant, published in 1886 of the 1885 meeting  of the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science.

Southington, Connecticut. Gus Worke lighting his pipe after ploughing a field of lettuce. He came from Germany forty years ago; expecting to get rich, he said. He didn't find material riches but did come into a life rich in personal freedoms.  LOC image

The following was reported the following year.  I think, given that Sturtevant was the Director of the New York Agricultural Experimentation Station, this is his writing as well.  It feels like it.

Lettuces.

Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, Volume 5 - 1886

Seeds of the following list of lettuces were planted in the garden April 24, in rows twenty-one inches apart and twelve feet long, one row to each name. The plants were thinned sufficiently as they increased in size to give those that remained an opportunity for complete development. The data noted are as follows:









The time of forming the head is omitted in many varieties.  The majority of these failed to form heads, though in a few cases the plants formed heads, but the time was not noted.

It appears also that the date of complete-maturity of the seed is sometimes omitted. In such cases the plants either blighted so badly that no seed ripened, or else the heads were so firm that the seed stalk seemed unable to burst its bonds. 

1899, Damman & Bros., near Naples
I liked this illustration. Not mentioned in this article, however :-)

Synonyms.

We have studied the plantings of lettuce with unusual care, with the hope of discovering, if possible, all the synonyms among them. The following appeared identical:

All the Year Round, b. s., Vil., '84,
Bloomsdale Reliable, Land., '85,
Black Seeded Satisfaction, Sib., '85,
Frankfort, b. s., Vil., '85,
Frankfort Head, Sib., '85,
New Stubborn Headed, Far., '85, Texter, Ben., '83, and
White Berlin Summer, Til., '85 All the Year Round, w. s., Vil., '84,

New Premium Cabbage, Vick, '85,
Rochester Cabbage, Sib., '85,
Royal or White Summer, Vil., '85, and
Everitt's Mammoth Market, Everitt, '85.

American Curled, Vil., '85,
American Gathering, Thor., '85, and
Early Prize Head, Sib., '85.

Bloomsdale Butter, b. s., Land., '85,
Large Yellow Butter, Thor., '85,
New Orleans Cabbage, Thor., '85, and
Turkish or Butter, Vil., '85.

Boston Market, Hen., '84,
Bruine Geel, Ben., '83,
Red Edged or Victoria, Vil., '84, and
Ward's Improved White Tennis Ball, Greg., '85.

Drumhead or Malta, Vil., '85,
Ice Drumhead, Thor., '85,
Malta Drumhead, Vil., '84,
Malta Large Drumhead, Sib., '85,
White Nonpareil Carter, '83, and
White Seeded Satisfaction, Sib., '85.

California Curled, Vil., '85, and
Green Fringed, Sib., '85.

California Gardener's, Sib., '83,
Large Green, Pas-de-Calais, Vil., '84, and
Pas-de-Calais, b. s., Vil., '85.

Carter's Giant White Cos, Sib., '85,
Giant White Cos, Sib., '83,
Landreth's Heat Resisting Cos, Land., '84, and
Paris White Cos, Sib., '83.

Crisp German, Sib., '83, and
Curled German Batavian, Vil., '84.

Crisp Small Early Frame, Vil., '84, and
Common Green Cutting, w. s., Vil., '85.

Curled Beauregard, Vil., '85, and
Pelletier, Dam., '83.

Dwarf Green Early, b. s., Greg., '84,
Dwarf Green Very Early, b. s., Vil., '85,
Landreth's Forcing, Land., '85, and
Very Early Dwarf Green, Vil., '85.

Early Tennis Ball or Boston, Thor., '85, and
White Tennis Ball, Sib., '85.

Grise, Sib., '83, and
Brown Genoa, Vil., '85.

Hardy Green Winter or Hammersmith, Vil., '84, and.
Green Winter or Hammersmith, Vil., '85.

India Head, Thor., '85, and
White Batavian, Sib., '85.

Large Versailles, Vil., 84, and
Large White Versailles, Vil., '85.

Large Normandy, Vil., '85, and
Large Yellow Seeded Normandy, Vil.,'83.

Munson's Perfection, Sib., '83,
New Perpetual, Till., '85, and
Early Curled Simpson, Thor., '85.

Neapolitan, Vil., '84, and
Neapolitan Cabbage, Vil., '85.

New Silver Ball, Till., '85,
White Paron, Vil., '85, and
Silver Ball New Winter, Dam., '83.

Tennis Ball, b. s., Vil., ' 85, and
Green Tennis Ball, Vil., '84

Very Large Yellow Paresseuse, Dam., '83, and
Large White Stone Summer, Sib., '85.

A Test with Green and Ripe Seed. 

In order to note the influence of immature seed upon the resulting plants, we gathered a small quantity of green seeds of twelve varieties of lettuce in the fall of 1884. Last spring one row of each variety was planted with green, and a second with ripe seeds gathered from the same plants. No difference appeared in the resulting crop that we could assign to the maturity or lack of maturity of the seed.

LOC lettuce field photo in the 1930's CA; noted as "speculative crop"

A Description of the principal Lettuce varieties.


We have endeavored to acquaint ourselves with the principal varieties of lettuce grown in this country and in Europe, with the view of determining the synonyms, and forming an accurate and complete description of each distinct variety. 

The undertaking is a difficult one for three reasons. 

1. The number of varieties is quite large.
2. In many cases the same name has been applied to two or more different varieties,
   and 
3. the descriptions that have been made of lettuces are, with a few exceptions, so meagre that they have proved of very little assistance. We must here further acknowledge our indebtedness to our French friends, Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., of Paris, whose descriptions of varieties of vegetables are by far the most complete of any that we have thus far met.

It is not to be supposed that we have grown all of the varieties of lettuce at present in culture in Europe and America. Our aim has been to grow all those mentioned in our own catalogues, with as many from France and Germany as we could readily obtain.

The eighty-seven varieties which we describe with the supposition that they are distinct, have been gleaned from a list of at least 200 differently named lettuces, and represent the labor of three seasons. The list does not include all that we have grown, but only those of which we at present feel satisfied are distinct.

We scarcely hope that the classification and descriptions which we here present will enable one unacquainted with the characters of the lettuce plant to name a given variety with ease and certainty. The most we dare to hope is, that with the help or these, it may be possible to decide with some degree of certainty whether or not a given lettuce is true to the name which it bears. If we have accomplished this much, our work will not have been in vain.

The difficulties of arranging a scheme for determining varieties through a system of classification and description, will readily appear when we consider the fact that the lettuce plant varies greatly at different stages of growth, under different systems of culture, and at different seasons of the year. 

For example, the leaves of the young plant often differ materially in form, and other characters from those of the same variety when the plant has matured. Varieties easily distinguishable when the plants are grown sufficiently far apart, so that each one has opportunity to assume its own character, will often be undistinguishable when the plants are crowded. 

And finally, many varieties which, if the seed is sown in spring will form large and well defined heads, will run to seed without heading if the seed is sown a few weeks later. We believe that our descriptions will only apply when the plants are grown under conditions similar to those which we have observed, and which we will here delineate.

It has been our custom to sow the seed of all the varieties as early as possible in spring, in rich soil, in rows either twenty-one inches apart, or twice that distance, thinning the plants as they began to crowd each other, to at first six inches apart in the row, and later to remove every alternate plant, thus leaving the full grown plants one foot apart in the row. Grown in this way, the plants have full opportunity to develop their individual characters. We have reasons for believing that the varieties of lettuce grown under equal conditions are remarkably constant.

The descriptions have all been made from plants in the garden, and when possible our own notes have been compared with the descriptions of Vilmorin, or Burr, or both these authors. It has been our endeavor to make the descriptions more complete than any heretofore made. We have attempted to describe particularly the portions which constitute the distinguishing characters of the varieties; but in many cases these are so few, or the differences which they represent are so obscure, that we have found no other recourse than to give careful descriptions or all the visible characters.

In the choice of names for the varieties described we have aimed at brevity and distinctness. We have carefully avoided the use of any name that would be likely to cause confusion with the name of any other variety. This has necessitated changing in a few cases the name under which the variety has been generally known, substituting a synonym that does not tend to confusion. We have in no case coined a name.

We have taken especial pains to give French and German synonyms when these could be obtained. As is well known, much of the lettuce seed in this country is imported from France and Germany. Hence we regard an international list of synonyms as of great value in preserving a uniform system of names. For the French and German synonyms used, we are indebted principally to Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co.


Explanation of terms used in describing varieties.
The words used in describing the form and outline of the leaves have precisely the same signification as in botany. In lettuce, however, the surface of the leaf furnishes several distinguishing characters, dependent upon the degree of smoothness, etc., the clear expression of which necessitates the use of a few words not employed in botanical descriptions. These we will endeavor to explain.

We distinguish between margin and border, as applied to the leaf, restricting the former to the line describing the contour, and the latter to that part of the blade adjacent to the margin.
In many varieties of lettuce the border is more developed than the rest of the leaf, which causes this part to become more or less waved. When the ridges and depressions thus formed are but slight, as in the Spotted Cos lettuce, we have called the border undulate; when, however, they are very strongly marked, so that the depressions are nearly or quite as deep as broad, as in the Curled Simpson lettuce, we have called the border ruffled. A border that is neither undulated nor ruffled is called plain.

In many varieties the part between the veins is developed in excess of the veins, which causes this part to puff out, forming elevations or depressions. Such leaves are called blistered. In some, the lower part of the leaf has numerous oblong blisters extending parallel to each other, and nearly or quite at right angles to the midrib. Such leaves we have called puffed.

When the whole leaf is somewhat twisted or contorted, we have called it waived; when the midrib curves downward in the centre, so that the leaf is concave, we have called it spoonform. When the midrib curves upward, making the upper surface of the leaf convex, we have called it inversely spoonform.

When the leaves of a young plant of lettuce are all curved in the same direction like the wings of a turbine wheel, or a paper wind mill, we have called the plant wheelform.

In some varieties the outer leaves of the head are so formed that they curve inward at the top as far as, or farther than, the centre of the head, so that each leaf represents nearly a hemisphere. Such leaves have some resemblance to a hood upon the head, and hence in want of a better term we have called them hood-shaped.

In a few varieties, in which the foliage is very compact, the outer leaves curve downward, overlapping each other something like the shingles upon a roof. We have called such plants shingled.

As the different varieties of lettuce bloom, a rather marked difference appears in the form of the flower head. In some this is compact and nearly flat on the top, more or less resembling the corymb; in others it is long and loose, more like the panicle. In our descriptions we call these heads which resemble the corymb more than the panicle, corymbose; and those that resemble the panicle more than the corymb, paniculate.

In the stem leaves of most varieties of lettuce more or less prominent lobes extend beyond the point where the midrib attaches to the stem. These lobes we have called ears.

We append the authority for each name or synonym used. When the authority is printed in italics with a date, it indicates "that we have grown such variety or synonym from seed obtained from the party named, and in the year specified.

• Example. In the first variety described—the Berlin lettuce—we have grown the synonym All the Year Round, b. s., from seed from Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., in 1884, and from Hiram Sibley & Co., in 1885.

Synonyms determined or verified by ourselves are printed in italics 

Synonyms determined by comparing plants, or our own notes, with the descriptions of others, have "(d)" appended immediately after the name. 

Synonyms that have been claimed by others, but which we have not verified, have only the authority appended.

The letters "b. s.," "gr. n.," or "s. k.,' stand for "black seed," according to the language in which the name or synonym is given. In like manner, the letters "w. s.," "gr. bl.," or "w. k.," stand for "white seed."(Good grief....)

Arrangement of the varieties. 

In the arrangement of the varieties, we follow the plan adopted in Les Plantes Potageres, viz., that of separating them into three classes, designated as Cabbage, Cos and Cutting lettuces. 

This classification is but partially founded upon botanical characters, and is here employed purely for convenience. It seems probable from the varieties which we have grown that a strictly botanical classification may at some future time be made.

Cabbage Lettuces. The varieties of this class are distinguished in having roundish, or but slightly oblong leaves, which are more spreading than upright. Nearly all form more or less clearly defined roundish heads when grown under favorable conditions. In this class the leaves of the full grown lettuce are never plain, but invariably more or less puffed or blistered, or both.

Cos Lettuces. These differ chiefly from the cabbage lettuces in having distinctly oblong leaves, which incline to grow upright. In general their leaves are thicker than those of the cabbage class, have larger and more rigid midribs and vein3, and have the surface more nearly plain. Many of this class form oblong, loose heads, either of themselves or when the leaves are tied together.
In a few varieties the characters seem about equally balanced between the cabbage and cos classes, but of those that we have grown, the majority may be very readily referred to the proper class from the above definitions.

Cutting Lettuces. The separation of this class seems to be purely artificial, as it includes varieties of which the leaves resemble both those of the cabbage and of the cos lettuces. The distinction is that the varieties of this class do not form heads, but furnish instead a vigorous growth of leaves which grow again after being cut off. In the earlier stages of growth the varieties of this class are not distinguishable in appearance from those of the other classes.

Analytical Key.  

source

As an aid in identifying the varieties, we present a brief analytical key, by which a given lettuce maybe referred to a comparatively short list, from which we think it may generally be readily named.

1. Leaves roundish, or but slightly oblong; spreading, rather than upright.

A. Borders of leaves plain or nearly so.

* Foliage green. Nos. 1, 2,10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 23, 24, 25,26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 37, 42, 46, 51, 53, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63, 64, 65, 85. ** Foliage more or less tinged or spotted with red, brown or purple. Nos. 4, 7, 8, 9,11, 19, 22, 33,39, 41, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 52, 58, 62.

B. Borders of leaves distinctly ruffled.

• Foliage green:          Nos. 3, 13, 18, 20, 27, 31, 36, 38, 40, 43, 83. 

• Foliage more or less tinged or spotted with red, brown or purple: Nos. 5, 6, 47, 54, 61.

2. Leaves oblong, tending to grow upright.

A. Leaves oval or spatulate.

• Foliage green: Nos. 66, 67, 68, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 82, 84. 
• Foliage more or less tinged or spotted with red, brown or purple: Nos. 70, 71, 78, 79, 80, 81.

B. Leaves lanceolate. No. 69.

3. Leaves pinnately lobed. Nos. 86, 87.

Cabbage Lettuce.

No. 1.  Berlin, Vil.

Synonyms: All the Year Round, b. s., Vil., '84, Sib., '85; 
Berlin White Summer, Vil.; 
Black Seeded Satisfaction, Sib., '84; 
Black Seed Yellow, Vil., 
Bloomsdale Reliable, Land., '84 ; 
Fine Imperial Cabbage, Vil., 
Imperial Cabbage, Vil.; 
Leyden White Dutch Cabbage, Vil.; 
Salamander, Hend., '83; 
Royal or White Summer, Chis. trial; 
Satisfaction Black Seeded, Vil.;
Texter, Ben., '84; 
White Berlin Summer, Vil., '84; 
Fr., Laitue blonde a gr. n., Vil.; 
L. blonde de Berlin, Vil., '85; (below)
L. blonde de Tours, Vil.; 
L. royale a gr. n., Vil.; 
Ger., Berliner gelber Kopf-Lattich, Vil.; 
Grosser gelber Berliner Lattich, Vil.; 
Grosser gelber Berliner Konigs Kopf. E. s. k. (d.), Dam.
All the Year Round, b. s., Vil., '84,

Young plant pale green, compact, sometimes wheel form; leaves roundish, apex retuse, outer ones nearly smooth, slightly waved, borders of inner leaves somewhat undulate, surface more or less puffed and blistered; midribs almost concealed in the compact foliage.

(retuse - Having a rounded or obtuse apex with a central shallow notch.)

Mature plant clear green, with a slight lustre, ten to twelve inches in diameter; head well defined, globular, compact, sometimes five inches in diameter, of which the inner leaves are pale yellowish green, or cream color, outer leaves of the head scarcely meeting at the top, usually folding back a little at the apex, growing nearly perpendicular, and when the head is fully formed, disclosing rather conspicuously their lower surfaces, leaves about the head very large, coarsely waved, slightly spreading, densely puffed and blistered; stem smooth, corymbose; seeds black.

A superior variety for early out-door culture. It heads well in dry weather, is slow in running to seed, and succeeds upon almost all soils. The flavor continues good until the flower stalk appears.

Figured in Album de Cliches.

As All the Year Round, introduced in 1868, Gard. Chron., 1869, 

as Fine Imperial Cabbage or Berlin in the U. S. in 1854, Browne; 

Black seeded yellow of Thomp., 1850; 

Blonde de Berlin of Hort. Fran., 1824.

No. 2.   Black Seeded Gotte, Vil, '85.

Synonyms:

• Early White Spring, Burr.; 
• Fine Early White Spring, Vil., '84; 
• White Gotte, b. s., Vil.; 
• Fr., Laitue gotte a graine noire, Vil., '85; 
• L. roulette, Vil.; 
• Ger., Friiher gelber kleiner Stein Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

This variety differs little from the Tennis Ball, w. s., except in the color of its seeds. The leaves are rather more waved and blistered, and the whole plant is a little smaller. The head is slightly depressed, never very firm; stem slender, smooth, corymbose; seeds black.

Useful for frame culture, but of little value out of doors. Unless planted very early it heads poorly, and quickly runs to seed. Figured correctly in Dybowski, Traite de culture potagére, p. 316.

No. 3. Black Seeded Simpson, Sib., '83, Thorb., '85.

The young plant closely resembles that of Early Simpson, though a shade paler in color.

Mature plant twelve or fourteen inches in diameter, distinguishable from Early Simpson by its paler color, larger size, and dull aspect, lacking the lustre of the latter. The head is not well defined, though large and compact; the leaves forming it curve outward at the top, exposing those below, which seem crowded together in disorder; head three inches in diameter, about four inches tall, whitish green within; stem smooth, often a little flattened, paniculate, stem leaves very numerous, pointing outward, very pale green with very prominent ears; seeds black.

This variety is early, slow in running to seed, and excellent in quality.

1884 - Henderson

No. 4. Blood Red Small, Ben., '84. 

Synonym:

• Blood Red (d.), Chis. trial.

Inclining to spatulate, apex refuse, outer leaves somewhat waved, borders of inner leaves slightly undulate, surface nearly or quite smooth, midribs pale green, more or less tinged with purple, veins inconspicuous.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter; leaves where most exposed to light very deep, almost blackish red; forms are rather large, loose head about two and a half inches in diameter, and three inches tall, of which the inner leaves are whitish green, slightly spotted with brown, outer leaves of the head nearly perpendicular, turning out a little at the apex, where they are tinged with red; stem smooth, somewhat washed with purplish red, paniculate, stem leaves deep purple toward the top; seeds black.

Rather late in maturing the head, which is not long retained.


No. 5. Bossin, Greg., '83, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• New Summer Cabbage, Vil.; 
• The Favorite, Vil.; 
• Very Large Bossin, Vil.; 
• Fr., Laitue Bossin, Vil., '84; 
• L. Bossin tres grosse, Vil.; 
• Ger., Allergrosster rothgelber Bossin Kopf Lattich, Vil.; 
• Bossin's Reisen, w. k. (d.), D5m.

Young plant very vigorous, pale green, the inner leaves somewhat tinged with copper red; leaves roundish or oval, finely, often doubly erose dentate in the lower half, obscurely dentate above; borders  strongly ruffled in a scalloped outline, the apexes all pointing upward. As the plant increases in size, the leaves are considerably blistered, but not puffed; veins rather conspicuous.

(erose - Irregularly notched, toothed, or indented: erose leaves.)

Mature plant fourteen inches or more in diameter; outer leaves coarsely waved, slightly blistered, but not puffed, inner leaves thickly covered with small wart-like prominent blisters; head very large, but very loose, the outer leaves of it completely folding over the top, sometimes reaching an inch or more downward, inner leaves slightly washed or spotted with reddish brown on the borders and more exposed blisters; stem smooth, often a little flattened, somewhat washed with purple, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, half erect; seeds black.

A hardy variety of immense volume, which stands the heat well, and is of good quality. Its very large size is objectionable to some, as it must be given plenty of room and hence is not very suitable for growing between the rows of other crops.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 304.


No. 6. Brown Batavian, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Brown Silesian, Vil.; 
• Marsailles Cabbage, Vil.; 
• Fr., Laitue Bataivia brune, Vil.; '85; 
• L. brune de Silesie, Vil.; 
• L. chou, Vil.; Ger., 
• Brauner Marsailler Lattich, Vil.

Young plant very deep green, the dark veins and midribs giving it a brownish cast; leaves broadly ovate spatulate, borders rather finely ruffled, apex usually pointing upward, surface of outer leaves slightly, of inner ones more blistered, veins conspicuous, leaves quite thick.

Mature plant very large, sometimes eighteen inches in diameter, of a very peculiar bronze green; leaves compact, numerous, borders of inner ones tinged with dark brown, surface'finely but sparsely blistered (innermost leaves densely blistered), but never puffed; midribs bordered with brown; head very tall, oblong, resembling a head of cos lettuce, rarely well formed ; exterior leaves very large, at first erect then curving outward; stem nearly smooth, very often flattened, much washed with purple, paniculate; stem leaves numerous, half erect, with very large ears ; seeds white.

"A hardy, late sort; retains its head a long period; better when cooked than when served in its raw state." ''Esteemed in warm countries." Vil.

Correctly figured in Les pl. pot., p. 303.


No. 7. Brown Dutch, black seed., Vil, '84, Ferry (d), '84.

Synonyms :

• Black Seeded, Burr.; 
• Fr., Laitue grosse Hollandaise, Vil.; 
• L. rousse Hollandaise, Vil., '85; 
• Ger., Brauner Hollandischer Kopf Lattich, Vil.; 
• Brauner Zarter Hollandischer L., Vil.

Young plant rather dark, dull green, rather low and spreading; borders of inner leaves faintly tinged brown, leaves roundish or oval, sometimes inclining to spatulate, apex entire or retuse, borders scarcely undulate, inner leaves blistered, slightly folded upon the midrib, which is nearly white, sometimes faintly tinged with brown; veins slightly sunken, not very conspicuous.

Mature plant ten to twelve inches in diameter, variable in color, in some plants reddish brown, in others greenish brown ; forms a compact but poorly defined head about three inches in diameter, the leaves of which are much contorted, yellowish green, except where fully exposed to light; leaves surrounding the head curve outward at the apex; stem smooth, strongly tinged with reddish purple, paniculate; stem leaves half erect.

The head is slow in forming, and is moderately well retained, but often becomes bitter before the flower stalk appears. The plant much resembles that of Palatine, but differs from it in the absence of spots upon the leaves, and being a little less washed with brown.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 300.

This is an old variety, and is named in M'Mahon's American Gardener's Calendar, 1806, and by succeeding writers in 1818, 1819, 1821, 1828, 1835, 1854, etc.

No. 8. Brown Dutch, W. S., Vil., '84.

Synonyms :

• Bigotte, Chis. trial.; 
• Laitue monie a peine a gr.bl., Vil., '84 ; 
• L. rousse Hollandaise a gr. bl., Vil.

http://www.monticelloshop.org/600460.html
In truth, I do not know if this photo is of the black seeded or white seeded variety.

Young plant, dark dull green, borders of inner leaves faintly tinged brown ; leaves oval, inclining to spatulate, apex entire or retuse, borders scarcely undulate, leaves often somewhat folded upon the midrib which is faintly tinged with brown, especially below, surface of inner leaves blistered; veins slightly sunken, not very conspicuous.

Mature plant - ten to twelve inches in diameter; leaves faintly tinged with brown where most exposed to light; forms a rather compact/not very clearly defined head about three inches in diameter, four inches tall, of which the outer leaves grow nearly perpendicular; outer leaves coarsely blistered and puffed, blanched toward the base. The head, of which the leaves are greenish yellow, becomes bitter before the flower stalk appears; stem smooth, strongly washed with reddish purple, paniculate; stem leaves half erect.

Mentioned by Buist in 1851, and by Brown in 1854.


No. 9. Brown Winter, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Brown Winter Cabbage (d.), Burr.; 
• Large Brown Winter Burr.; 
• Fr., Laitue brune d'hiver, Vil., '84; 
• L. grosse brune d'hiver, Vil.; Ger., 
• Brauner Winter Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

Young plant rather spreading, sometimes inclining to wheelform; leave3 more or less washed with dark purplish red, the inner ones more deeply colored; leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, borders of inner leaves undulate, surface blistered, outer leaves strongly waved, with coarsely undulate borders.

Mature plant compact, seven to ten inches in diameter; leaves more or less spoonform, outer ones nearly smooth; head roundish, rather solid, composed of, and surrounded by leaves, having rather large blisters. The whole plant inclines to wheelform, and the leaves are much washed with brown; stem short, smooth,compact, corymbose; seeds white.

Grown as a spring lettuce this variety formed no head, and early ran to seed.

Figured correctly in Le3 pl. pot., p. 289. 

No. 10. Butter, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Asiatic, Vil.; 
• Black Seeded Butter, ffend., '84 ; 
• Bloomsdale Butter, b. s., Land., '84; 
• Large Butter Head, Vil. ;
• Large Yellow Assem. Doc. No. 41.] 22
• Butter, Thorb., '85;
• New Orleans Cabbage, Thorb., '85; 
• Russian or Butter, Vil.; 
• Turkey Cabbage, Vil., Turkish, Vil, '84; 
• Fr., Laitue d'Alger a gr. n., Vil. ;  (below)
• L. grosse, Vil.; 
• L. grosse Allemande, Vil.; 
• L. incomparable, agr. n., Vil.; 
• L. deRussie, Vil.; 
• L.Turque, Vil., '85, (A.), L., hort. Fran.; 
• Ger., Gelber Asiatischer Lattich, s. k., Vil.; 
• Grosser Westindischer L. Vil.

Vilmorin Andrieux & Cie

Young plant dull pale green, low and spreading; leaves roundish or oval, finely and sharply, often doubly erose dentate toward the base, obscurely dentate in the upper half, apex entire; outer leaves slightly' waved, inner ones somewhat blistered; veins sunken conspicuous.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, spreading; the outer leaves lying upon the ground, very large, roundish, coarsely blistered and puffed, pale green, and of an appearance suggesting great thickness; forms a well defined compact head about four inches in diameter, and three inches tall, flattened on the top, where the leaves do not meet; leaves about the head nearly perpendicular, the apex pointing outward; stem smooth, paniculate, sometimes inclining to corymbose ; stem leaves pointing outward; seeds black.

An excellent summer variety, enduring heat and dryness well, forming the head with much certainty, and very slow in running to seed.

Figured correctly in Carson's Seed Catalogue, 1881. 

No. 11. California Gardner's, Sib., '83.

Synonyms:

• Large Green Pas-de-Calais, Vil., '84; 
• Fr., Laitue paresseuse du Pas-de-Calais, Vil, '85; 
• L. julienne d'été, Vil.

Young plant rather deep clear green, borders of inner leaves often tinged with brown ; leaves roundish or oval, approaching spatulate, obscurely dentate in the upper half, apex entire or retuse, borders scarcely undulate, outer leaves nearly smooth, inner ones puffed and blistered, often somewhat folded on the midrib; veins not conspicuous.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, dull green, borders scarcely washed with brown; forms a moderately compact, not very well defined, roundish head about three inches in diameter, of which the outer leaves are nearly perpendicular, and densely puffed and blistered, head greenish yellow within; outer leaves of the plant curving downward, coarsely puffed and blistered; stem smooth, much washed with reddish purple, paniculate; stem leaves half erect; seeds black.


No. 12. Commodore Nutt, Ben., '83.

Young plant pale yellowish green; leaves oval or roundish, apex retuse, surface of inner leaves puffed and blistered, and their borders undulate, veins rather conspicuous.

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, four or five inches high, very compact, rather spreading, pale green, slightly glossy, borders sometimes inclining to yellow; head not defined, composed of short very densely blistered leaves, very compactly crowded together in apparent confusion, butter color within ; outer leaves nearly horizontal, waved, in some plants distinctly shingled, rather densely blistered; stem smooth, paniculate; seeds white.

This variety is rather early, and quite slow in forming seed-stalk. It was described as a novelty by Bliss in 1878.

No. 13. Crisp German, Sib., '83.

Synonyms:

• Curled German Batavian, Vil., '84; (below)
• Fr., Laitue Batavia frisee Allemande, Vil., '85; 
• L. Batavia Italienne, Vil.; 
• Ger., Griiner friiher Montree Lattich, Vil.; 
• Krauser Deutscher Kopf-Montree Kopf-L., Vil.

Young plant yellowish green; leaves roundish, border finely ruffled, surface of outer leaves nearly, smooth, of inner ones blistered, midribs narrow, not conspicuous, veins much depressed.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, very pale green, inclining to yellow in places; leaves waved, densely and finely blistered, but not puffed; forms a small, not well defined head, of which the leaves are distinctly hood-shaped; outer leaves glossy; stem smooth, corymbose; stem leaves usually pointing downward, ears large; seeds white.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 302.


No. 14. Crisp Small Cabbage, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Crisped Small Cabbage, Vil.; 
• Crisp Small Early, b. s., Vil.,'84; 
• Fr., Laitue crepe a gr. n., Vil., '85; 
• L. crepe hatif, Vil.; L. crepe petite, Vil.; 
• L. petite crepe, Vil.; L. petite noire, Vil.; 
• Ger., Friiher gelber Kleiner Stein Kopf-Lattich, s. k., Vil.; 
• Früher gelber Stein Kopf.L., Vil.

Young plant pale, almost whitish green, inclining to wheelform; leaves roundish, but with an angular outline, obscurely dentate in the upper half, apex entire or retuse, outer leaves nearly smooth, inner ones much blistered, with undulate borders.

Mature plant seven or eight inches in diameter, somewhat glossy, inclining to wheelform ; forms under favorable conditions a small rather loose head; stem tall, branching low, smooth, corymbose; seeds black.

Very popular in France for earliest frame culture; little grown in this country. 
Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 290.

Described in L'hort. Fran. 1824, by Petit in 1826, and Nosette in 1828.

No. 15. Crisp Small Early,W. S., Vil., '85.

Synonyms :

• Yellow Egg Frame, w. s. (d.), Dam.; 
• Fr., Laitue crepe agr. bl. Vil., '85;  (below)
• L. crepe blonde, Vil.; 
• Ger., Friiher gelber Eiersalat, Vil.

Young plant pale yellowish green, distinctly wheelform; leaves roundish-spatulate, sometimes oblong, erose dentate in the lower twothirds, sinuate in rest of outline, border slightly undulate, apex nearly entire, surface of outer leaves strongly waved, slightly puffed and blistered, inner leaves much puffed and blistered.

Mature plant rather loose and open, about ten inches in diameter, very pale yellowish green; does not usually form a head unless the plants are a little crowded; head medium, rather tall, formed of leaves that are paler and much more blistered than the outer ones, which are strongly waved; stern tall, corymbose.

This variety is very early, but soon runs to seed in this climate when grown in the open ground.

Vilmorin Andrieux & Cie

No. 16. Deacon Hine, Fer., '85.

Synonym:

• Ice (d.), Fer.

Young plant very deep, dull'green, often inclining to wheelform; leaves roundish, apex retuse, surface much puffed below, but no- . where blistered, inner leaves often spoonform; veins slightly sunken, not very conspicuous.

Mature plant remarkably compact, spreadiug, deep glossy green, about ten inches in diameter, four or five inches tall ; forms no defined head; inner leaves short, very much crowded together, densely crumpled, all except the most central ones pointing outward; outer leaves much puffed but very little blistered, sometimes shingled ; stem rather short, often flattened, somewhat striate, paniculate; seeds black.

The leaves are very thick, mild and tender. The plant is not very rapid in development, but quite slow in running to seed.


No. 17. Dippe's Emperor, Dam., '83.

Young plant rather pale green, very compact, often inclining to wheelform; leaves roundish or oval, apex very distinctly retuse, outer leaves waved, surface of all leaves more or less puffed and blistered; veins not conspicuous.

Mature plant five to eight inches in diameter, very compact, forming a firm head about two inches in diameter, the outer leaves of which curve outward at the apex; outer leaves of the plant much blistered; stem slender, rather short, broadly corymbose; seeds black.

A very early lettuce, well adapted for forcing.


No. 18. Early Curled Silesian, Sib., '83.

Synonyms:

• Curled Silesian (d.), Hend.; 
• Fr., Laitue hative de Silesie, Vil.

Very closely resembles the Early Simpson lettuce. The leaves are a little less waved, and not quite so yellowish; the whole plant is a little less compact; but the most conspicuous difference is that the mature plant is more open in the centre, forming little appearance of a head. The stem is rather less paniculate; seeds white.

Mentioned by Fessenden in 1828, and described by Browne in 1854.


No. 19. Early Dwarf Brown Forcing, Ben., '83.

Young plant pale green, washed with brown; leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, margin of inner leaves somewhat undulate, surface of all more or less blistered, of inner ones puffed and densely blistered; veins inconspicuous.

Mature plant seven inches in diameter, the densely blistered leaves much washed with reddish brown; head small, oblong, one and onehalf inches in diameter, the inner leaves very much, and very finely puffed, the outer leaves of the head curving outward at the apex; borders of leaves usually undulate; stem short, slender, smooth, corymbose; seeds white.

Of little value except for forcing, or earliest culture in open ground. 

No. 20. Early Simpson, Vil., '85.

Synonyms:

• Curled Simpson, Batch., '82; 
• Early Curled Simpson, Vil, '84; 
• Thorb., 85; Micnson's Perfection, Sib., 84; 
• Nellis' Perpetual, (d.), Nellis; 
• New Perpetual, Till., '85; 
• Perpetual, Bliss, '83; 
• Simpson's Early Curled, Vil.; 
• Simpson's Silesia, (d.), Brill; 
• Fr., Laitue Allemande, Vil.; 
• L. a couper frisee d'Australie, Vil.; 
• L. glacee, Vil.; 
• L. hative de Simpson,Vil., '85; (below)
• Ger., Gelber Simpson Lattich, Vil.; 
• Grosser gelber Simpson, Kopf-L. Vil.

Young plant pale yellowish green; leaves roundish, borders finely ruffled, surface of outer leaves nearly smooth, of inner ones much puffed and blistered; veins conspicuous.

Mature plant twelve inches in diameter, six or seven inches tall, compact, very pale yellowish green, borders of inner leaves golden green; does not form a well defined head, though the inner leaves are closely crowded together; those about them curve outward and are very densely puffed and blistered; outer leaves densely, but more coarsely puffed and blistered; veins inconspicuous; stem tall, often striate, sometimes flattened, paniculate; stem leaves numerous, pointing outward, smooth only near the top, ears prominent, pointed ; seeds white.

A very popular variety, largely grown in frames and for open crop about New York City. It is very early and very slow in running to seed; quality excellent, the leaves being very crisp, tender and brittle.

Probably a selection from the Early Curled Silesian; said to have originated near Brooklyn, N. Y.
Figured fairly correctly in Lespl. pot., p. 302.


No. 21. Georges, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Fr., Laitue Georges, Vil., '84; 
• L. George blanche (d.), Noisette.

Plant pale green, leaves roundish, borders entire except toward the base, apex entire or retuse, surface of inner leaves puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about six inches in diameter; forms a rather compact, but poorly defined head, of which the inner leaves are folded in apparent disorder, and of which the outer leaves curve back at the apex; outer leaves coarsely blistered, waved, or folded on the midrib; stem slender, smooth, corymbose; seeds white.

The head is slow in forming, and not long retained. This variety is of little value except as a cutting lettuce, but is grown as a forcing lettuce by the Paris market gardeners.


No. 22. Golden Spotted, Ben., '83.

Synonyms:

• Golden Spotted Head, Farquhar, '85; 
• New Golden Spotted (d.), Till.

Young plant greenish yellow, inclining to wheelform, densely mottled with chocolate brown; leaves oval, inclining to spatulate, apex entire or very slightly retuse, surface of outer leaves nearly smooth, inner ones puffed and slightly blistered, with undulate borders; midribs greenish white, splashed with red or brown, veins almost invisible.

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, six inches high, presenting a beautiful mingling of brownish red and pale green; forms a small roundish head two to three inches in diameter; leaves puffed and blistered, margins undulate; stem short, smooth, tinged with1 purple, paniculate; stem leaves pointing outward, spotted to the top, but less golden than in the young plant; seeds white.

A superior summer lettuce. The head is slow in forming, but is retained a long time, and is very tender and mild. The plants stand the heat very well.


No. 23. Golden Stone Head, Thorb., '82.

Synonyms;

• O. K. Golden Head, Everitt, '85, 
• Rochester Cabbage, Sib., '85.

Young plant pale yellowish green, usually somewhat wheelform; leaves roundish or ovate-spatulate, apex retuse, outer leaves strongly waved, often puffed toward the base, inner leaves much puffed, slightly blistered.

Mature plant compact, ten to twelve inches in diameter, about five inches high; forms a compact but poorly defined head two and a half to three inches in diameter, of which the leaves are densely puffed and blistered, and crowded together in apparent disorder; leaves about the head nearly perpendicular, curving outward at the apex: outer leaves slightly waved, curving downward, coarsely blistered; stem tall, smooth, corymbose; stem leaves pointing outward; seeds white.

Of excellent quality, heads promptly, and is rather slow in running to seed.


No. 24. Gray Seeded Butter, Thorb., '83.

Synonyms:

• Bloomsdale Early Summer, Land., '84; 
• Large Yellow Butter, gray seed, Thorb., '85; 
• Yellow Seeded Butter,Hend., '83.

Young plant pale, slightly yellowish green, rather low and spreading; leaves roundish or oval, apex entire or retuse, surface of outer leaves nearly smooth, of inner ones puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, compact spreading, forming a roundish compact head three inches in diameter, of which the outer leaves curve inward sufficiently to expose their lower surface, usually recurving a little at the apex; head yellowish green within; leaves surrounding the head rather coarsely puffed and blistered; stem smooth, paniculate; seeds yellowish or grayish.

Rather late in forming the head, but slow in running to seed. Of excellent quality.


No. 25. Green Dutch, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Fr., Laitue monte a peine verte a, gr. n., Vil., '85; 
• Ger., Gruener monte a peine Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

Young plant very deep green: leaves roundish or oval, margin entire except in the lower third, border scarcely waved, apex retuse, inner leaves considerably puffed and blistered, veins slightly sunken.

Mature plant about eight inches in diameter, very compact, intense glossy green; forms a small very compact head about two inches in diameter; outei leaves puffed and blistered, or somewhat waved; stem smooth, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, pointing outward, nowhere lanciolate; seeds black.

The plant somewhat resembles the appearance in White Summer lettuce, but is distinguished from it by its deeper green foliage. It is rather late in forming its head, and one of the latest to run to seed.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 291.


No. 26. Green Fat, ViL, '84.

Synonyms.

• Fr., Laitue verte grouse, ViL, '85; 
• Ger., Griiner Fettsalat, ViL; 
• Vilmorin's griiner Felit-salat, s. k. (d.), Dam.

Young plant deep green; leaves short, roundish or spatulate, margin obscurely dentate in the upper half, lower leaves waved and blistered, leaves very thick, veins sunken.

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, six inches high; head remarkably compact, well defined, three inches in diameter, cream color within, leaves scarcely meeting at the top; outer leaves of plant strongly waved, coarsely blistered, spreading, puffed, blanched toward the base; stem smooth, paniculate,stem leaves.rather numerous, half erect; seeds black.

An excellent variety for summer. The head is a little slow in forming, but is very well retained.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 297.


No. 27. Green Fringed, Sib., '83.

Synonyms:

• California Curled, ViL, '84; 
• Paper White Curled (d.), Thorb.,'84, 
• Fr., Laitue frisee de California, ViL, '85; 
• Ger., Californischer Kranser Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

Henry Maule catalog, 1887

Remarkably distinct. Young plant pale, almost whitish green; leaves decidedly broader than long, erose dentate throughout, very deeply and finely below, border very finely and intricately ruffled, apex retuse, pointing upward, surface not in the least puffed, but rather sparsely blistered with peculiar wart-like blisters. The outer leaves curve downward showing plainly the upper surface with its peculiar veining; midribs very finely divided into numerous radiating veins.

The mature plant forms a true and beautiful rosette nine inches or more in diameter; leaves not crowded, the outer ones flat upon the ground, the central ones erect; does not form a true head, though in slightly crowded plants, the inner leaves embrace each other loosely; stem smooth, branches few and short, stem leaves numerous, pointing outward, densely ruffled, surface smooth except toward the base of the stem.

This interesting lettuce must be regarded as more ornamental than useful, as its leaves are neither tender nor sweet . 

Figured correctly in Les pL pot., p. 305.


No. 28. Green Tennis Ball, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Boston, Thorb., '85; 
• Button, Burr; 
• Capuchin, Burr; 
• Early Tennis Ball, Thorb., '85 Ferry (d.); (below)
• Green Ball, Burr; 
• Tennisball, Burr; 
• Tennisball, b. s., Vil.; Fr., 
• Laitue d'Aubervilliers, Vil.; 
• L. gotte verte hative, Vil.; 
• L. Tennisball, ViL, '84.

Young plant very deep green, often inclining to wheelform; leaves spreading, roundish or oval, dentate only toward the base, apex retuse, border of inner leaves slightly undulate, and their surface puffed and blistered, veins not very conspicuous.

Mature plant eight to ten inches in diameter, of a peculiar deep, almost gluacous green, compact; outer leaves slightly waved, nearly smooth, inner leaves blistered; head well defined, roundish, solid when grown in cool weather, but loose and open, often none at all if grown in summer; stem smooth, branching low, densely corymbose; seeds black.

Much grown for forcing. It is very hardy to endure cold, takes up little room in frames, is slow in running to seed, blanches well, and is tender.

A very old variety. The name was used by M'Mahon in 1806, and by other American garden writers in 1819, 1821, 1828, 1832, etc. 

It seems to be the Green Ball of Mawe, 1778, and Anton Pinaeus' figure of a lettuce in his Hist. Plantarum, 1561, may be this variety.


No. 29. Green Winter Of Naples, Dam., '83.

Young plant very deep green, leaves roundish or oval, dentate only in the lower third, apex refuse, outer leaves usually waved, often slightly spoonform, borders of inner leaves slightly undulate and their surface puffed and blistered, veins not conspicuous.

Mature plant about eight inches in diameter, borders of inner leaves sometimes tinged brown; forms a rather loose open head, of which the outer leaves recurve at the apex, inner leaves densely puffed and blistered, outer ones coarsely but slightly blistered; stem smooth, corymbose; seeds white or grayish.

the open ground, it headed poorly and soon ran to seed.
Figured correctly in Damman & Co.'s catalogue of 1882-3.

No. 30. Hammersmith, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Early Dwarf Dutch, Thomp.; 
• Early Frame, Thomp.; 
• Green Cabbage, Thomp.; 
• Green Dutch, Thomp.; 
• Green Winter Cabbage (d.), Burr; 
• Hammersmith Hardy Green, Bliss, '83; 
• Hardy Green, Thomp.; 
• Hardy Green Winter, Thorb.,'83, Vil., '84; 
• Hardy Hammersmith, Thomp.; 
• Hardy Winter Cabbage, Burr; 
• Prussian Cabbage, Thomp.; 
• Roman Cabbage, Thomp.; 
• Fr., Laitue morine, Vil; 
• Ger., Gelber Winter Zarter Lattich, Vil.; 
• Italian, Lattughe verde, Thomp.

Young plant pale, slightly yellowish green, often wheelform; leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, outer leaves somewhat blistered, inner leaves much puffed and blistered, veins not conspicuous.

Mature plant yellowish green, eight to ten inches in diameter, outline rather irregular; outer leaves oval, waved, puffed ; head rather compact, slightly oblong, moderately firm, surrounded by much blistered leaves which are usually a little paler than the outer ones; stem very short, slender, smooth, corymbose; seeds white.

Considered the hardiest of all varieties. The seed is often sown in September, and the young plants protected through the winter with a light covering of straw, to be used in the spring as cut lettuce. It is also grown for forcing. In summer the plants attain little size, and usually do not head, soon running to seed.

Figured correctly in Album de cliches.

This variety is mentioned in M'Mahon's Am. Gard. Cal. 1806. 

No. 31. Hanson, Thorb., '83, Sib., 'S5.

Very closely resembles the Early Simpson, but the plant is possibly somewhat larger in growth, and forms a more compact head. An expert is required to distinguish the two varieties.  The plant produces little seed; seed white.

Carter's Giant White, Everitt, '85, seems to be a sub-variety of the above, which in some cases forms a very well defined roundish head; in others, the plants are not distinguishable from those of Hanson.

A variety having the foliage strongly washed with brownish red has in some localities been disseminated as Hanson lettuce.

Gregory - 1882 - Don't you enjoy testimonials?!

No. 32. Imperial, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Asiatic, Vil., Green, w. s., Vil.; 
• Imperial Head (d.), Burr; 
• Imperial or  Grosso Allemande (d.), Thomp.; 
• Union, Vil.; 
• Ger., Grosser gelber Asiatischer Lattich, w. k., Vil.;
•  Silber-kopf-salat, Vil.

Differs from the Butter lettuce in very little except in the color of its seed, which is white. The two varieties have the same qualities.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 297.

The name, Imperial Cabbage, occurs in Mawe's Gardener, 1778; Imperiale or Grosse Allemande, in Noisette, 1829; Imperial, in M'Mahon's Am. Gard., 1806, and in American writers in 1819, 1828, 1832, etc.


No. 33. Improved Spotted, W. S., Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Improved Spotted Cabbaging, Greg., ''83; 
• Small dark red, Vil.; 
• Fr., Laitue sanguine amelioree, Vil., '85; 
• Ger., Bunter Forellen Salat, Vil.; 
• Bunter Verbesserter Forellen Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

Young plant very finely spotted with rich brownish red, the inner leaves almost completely covered; more or less wheelform; leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, surface of inner leaves puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, five inches high, compact; leaves very densely washed or spotted with deep brownish red, on some plants with carmine red; forms very compact roundish head about three inches in diameter, the inner leaves of which are ivory white, very finely sprinkled or striped with carmine red; outer leaves strongly waved, all puffed and blistered, the blisters not prominent; stem striate, sometimes flattened, much washed with purple, paniculate, stem leaves large, numerous, spotted with purple or chocolate brown to the top, much waved.

"This variety is productive under a small volume; it is early and holds its head well. The very lively color of the spots contrasts agreeably with the whitish leaves, giving the salad a very pretty appearance, while it is of excellent quality." Vil.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 301.


No. 34. Large Normandy, Vil., '85.

Synonyms:

• Large Yellow Seeded Normandy, Vil., '84; 
• Fr., Laitue grosse Normande, Vil., '85.

Young plant deep green, often distinctly wheelform; leaves roundish spatulate or oval, obscurely dentate in the upper half, apex entire or retuse, border very coarsely undulate; outer leaves usually strongly waved, little puffed and blistered, sometimes folded on the midrib.

Mature plant about ten inches Hi diameter, six inches tall, deep glossy green; head roundish, about three inches in diameter, well defined, pale green, cream color within, outer leaves of head nearly [Asscm. Doc. No. 41.] 23

perpendicular, often carving in and then ontward at the apex; outer leaves of plant strongly waved, much puffed and blistered; stem1 smooth, branching low, head corymbose; seeds yellow.

Resembles the Green Fat Lettuce, but the leaves are more blistered, and the veins are not sunken.
Well adapted to summer culture.
No. 35. Large White Stone Summer, Sib., '83, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Large Green, Vil., '84; Nonpareil, Vil.; 
• Very Large Yellow Paresseuse, Bam., '83; 
• White Cabbage Batch., '82, Thorb., '83; 
• Fr., Laitue grosse blonde Paresseuse, Vil., '85; (below)
• L. blonde d'ete de St. Omer, Vil.; 
• L. nonpareille, Vil. ; 
• Ger., Gelber Faulenzer Lattich, Vil. ; 
• Grosser gelber Dauer-kopf-L., Vil.

Les Plante Potagère, Laitue grosse blonde Paresseuse

Young plant pale yellowish green ; leaves roundish or oval, obscurely dentate in the upper half, apex usually entire, inner leaves puffed and blistered, with undulate borders. Before heading plant is conspicuous for its broadly spreading vigorous foliage, and for its densely blistered inner leaves, which in some plants extend almost horizontally.

Mature plant twelve to fifteen inches in diameter, comparatively low and spreading, the very ample outer leaves lying upon the ground; forms a very large though not very compact, yellowish, roundish head, which sometimes attains a diameter of six inches; the head surrounded by very large, nearly perpendicular blistered leaves which incline to inclose it loosely; leaves coarsely blistered throughout; stem smooth, paniculate; stem leaves numerous, pointing outward, the uppermost ones approaching spatulate, smooth, ears small, rounded; seeds white.

One of the best of all the summer lettuces. It endures the heat and holds its head remarkably well, and very rarely fails to produce a good crop. Owing to its very large size, and rapid development it becomes fit for use nearly or quite as early as the spring lettuces.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 296.


No. 36, Large White Winter, Vil, '84..

Synonyms:

• Fr., Laitue grosse blonde d'hiver, ViL, 'S5; 
• Ger., Grosser fester gold-gelber Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

Vilmorin illustration gives good feel  for the lettuce type.

Potrat's  La culture potagère de primeurs
et de plein air's image is more stylized.

Young plant pale, slightly yellowish green; leaves oval, approaching spatulate, coarsely erose dentate in the lower half, obscurely dentate above, apex retuse, borders of inner leaves somewhat ruffled, of the outer ones undulate, inner leaves very finely puffed and blistered. Resembles the Neapolitan lettuce, but is less deep green, less blistered, and less ruffled.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, rather tall, outline very irregular; outer leaves coarsely undulate, or ruffled, half erect; head roundish, large, pale yellowish green, composed of, and surrounded by extremely blistered, waved and twisted leaves; stem smooth, corymbose; seeds white.

Of no special value as a summer lettuce.

Figured correctly m Les pl. pot., p. 288.

No. 37. La Boeuf, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Intermediate Leboeuf, Vil. ; 
• Fr., Laitue Leboeuf, Vil., '84; 
• Ger., Grosser gruner Leboeuf Lattich, Vil.

Young plant clear green; leaves oval, approaching spatulate, nearly half erect, apex entire or retuse, borders of inner leaves somewhat undulate, surface finely blistered, often puffed, veins slightly sunken, not conspicuous, midribs slightly prickly below.

Mature plant about nine inches in diameter and of equal height; rather intermediate between the Cos and Cabbage lettuces; leaves oblong, oval, outer ones strongly waved, puffed, but very little blistered; inner leaves finely puffed and blistered; head tall, resembling that of a Cos lettuce, composed of leaves pressed against one another, but inclosing one another imperfectly. In some plants the leaves do not form a head, but all curve outward from the centre; stem stout, smooth, corymbose, stem leaves half erect; seeds white.

This lettuce bears some resemblance to the ground Cos. "It possesses the peculiarity of often throwing out suckers at the base of the head."

Figured correctly in Album de cliches.


No. 38. Lorthois, Vil., '85.

Synonyms:

• Fr., Laitue de Trocadero, Vil., '84; 
• L. maraichere, Vil.

Young plant pale green; leaves roundish or oval, margin more or less dentate and slightly ruffled in its whole outline, outer leaves slightly waved; surface nearly smooth except in the innermost leaves in which it is slightly puffed and blistered; midribs greenish white, veins slightly sunken.

Mature plant ten to twelve inches in diameter, five inches tall; forming a very compact, globular head four inches in diameter, of which the outer leaves are bordered with brown, and scarcely fold back at the apex, inner leaves of head well blanched; outer leaves of plant little blistered, borders ruffled; stem smooth, corymbose; seeds white.

A good lettuce for either spring or summer. 

No. 39. Madeira, Til, '85.

Synonyms:

• Large Winter, to. s., Vil., '84; 
• Large Winter Cabbage (d.), Burr; 
• Large Winter Madeira, Vil.; 
• Fr., Laitue Bibiane, Vil.; 
• L. brune d'hiver des Carmes, Vil.; 
• L. de la Passion, Vil., '85; (below)
• L. Passion, Vil., '85; 
• L. Passion d'hiver, Vil.; 
• Ger., Grosser griiner Winter Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

I am just kidding with the color.  The Vilmorin illustration is correct though in shape.

Young plant often inclining to wheelform, clear green; inner leaves sometimes slightly yellowish, sparsely spotted with chocolate brown, apex entire or retuse, outer leaves slightly waved, inner ones puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, spreading, with a somewhat irregular outline; head roundish, rather large, pale green, washed with red on the summit; outer leaves little blistered, waved, with undulate borders, clear green, slightly yellowish, with a few brown spots; leaves about the head blistered and tinged with red on the borders; stem smooth, broadly corymbose; seeds white.

Resembles the Mogul lettuce; but the margins of the leaves are not dentate in the upper half, and the leaves are more oval.

This variety is not adapted to summer culture, as unless sown very early in spring, it heads poorly, and runs quickly to seed.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 287.
It was mentioned in L'Hort. Francais, 1824, Pettit in 1826; by Noisette in 1829, etc.


No. 40. Malta, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Drumhead, Vil., and (d.), Burr; 
• Ice Cabbage, Ben.; 
• Ice Cos, Burr; 
• Ice Drumhead, Vil., Batch., '82; 
• Malta Drumhead, Vil., '84; 
• Malta Largo Drumhead, Sib., '83; 
• Satisfaction, w. s., Sib.,' '84; 
• White Cabbage, Burr; 
• White Nonpareil, Garter, '84; 
• White Silesian, Browne; 
• Fr., Laitue chou blonde, Vil.; 
• Laitue de Malte, Vil., '84; 
• Ger., Grosser gelber Trommelkopf-Lattich, Vil.; 
• Grosser Trommel-kopf-L., Vil.

Henderson, 1884

Young plant pale yellowish green; leaves roundish or oval sometimes spatulate, dentate throughout, apex entire, borders finely ruffled, surface of outer leaves, nearly smooth, of inner ones finely blistered, veins sunken, rather conspicuous.

Mature plant twelve to fourteen inches in diameter, and of nearly equal height, rather compact, pale green, glossy; forms a distinct and rather compact head, of which the outer leaves are hood-shaped, curving backward at the borders, densely blistered; outer leaves of the plant rather sparsely blistered, scarcely puffed; stem smooth, corymbose, stem leaves numerous, smooth, ears prominent; seeds white.

This variety grows rapidly, stands the heat well, but is late in forming the head, and the latter is not long retained. It is of excellent quality.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 304.

Mentioned by Vilmorin in 1823, and in L'Hort. Fran., 1824.

No. 41. Mogul, Vil, '85.

Synonyms:

• Large Brown Cabbage (d.), Burr; 
• Large Brown Coblens, b. s. (d.), Dam.; 
• Large Gray Cabbage, Burr; 
• Large Green, b. s., Vil., '85; 
• Mammoth, Burr; 
• Superfine New French, Thomp.; 
• Fr., Laitue Bapaume, Vil.; 
• L. Berg-op-Zoon, Vil.; 
• L. de Hollande, Thomp.; 
• L. grise maraichere, Vil.; 
• L. grosse brune Paresseuse, Vil., '85; 
• L. grosse grise, Vil.; 
• L. grosse Hollandaise, Vil.; 
• L. Meterelle (a Bordeaux), Vil.; 
• L. prodigieuse, Vil.; 
• Ger., Brauner Faulenzer-Lattich, Vil.; 
• Brauner Koblenzer, s. k. (d.), Dam.

Les Plante Potagère, L. grosse brune Paresseuse

Young plant low and spreading, sometimes inclined to wheelform, dull, somewhat grayish green, with a few scattering chocolate colored dots; leaves roundish spatulate, or ovate spatulate, obscurely dentate in the upper half, apex retuse, outer leaves often slightly waved, little puffed or blistered, inner leaves much waved, densely puffed and blistered, veins slightly sunken.
Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, six inches high, very sparsely spotted with chocolate brown ; outer leaves numerous, spreading, coarsely puffed and blistered; forms a compact, roundish, not very well defined head, about four inches in diameter, cream colored within, sometimes tinted with brown on the top. The outer leaves of the head do not meet at the top; leaves surrounding it nearly perpendicular, curving outward at the apex; stem smooth, paniculate; seeds black.

A very hardy and productive variety, well adapted for summer culture.

Figured correctly in Les pi. pot., p. 296.


No. 42. Mortatella, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Mortatella Cabbage, Vil.; 
• Fr., Laitue Mortatella, Vil., '84.

Young plant intense clear green, sliglitly wheelform; leaves oval, apex entire or retuse, outer leaves waved, or sometimes spoonform. surface nearly smooth, inner leaves puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about nine inches in diameter, forming a rather compact head two to three inches in diameter, yellowish green within, outer leaves of the head washed with dark brown where exposed to light, much blistered, curving outward at the apex; outer leaves of the plant coarsely blistered; stem smooth, densely corymbose; seeds black.

The head is slow in forming, and is not long retained.
Figured correctly in Album de cliches.


No. 43. Neapolitan,Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Naples Cabbage (d.), Burr; 
• Neapolitan Cabbage, Vil., '84, Sib., '83; 
• New Giant of Salerno, Dam., '83; 
• Fr.,Laitue chou de Naples, Vil., '8"i; 
• Ger., Grosser gelber Kopfsalat von Neapc, w. k. (d.), 
• Dam.; Neapolitauischer Dauerkopf Lattich, Vil.

Young plant intense clear green, rather spreading; leaves roundish or ova*l, borders finely ruffled, surface of outer leaves smooth, of inner ones finely blistered, veins sunken, conspicuous.

Mature plant twelve to fourteen inches in diameter; the larger leaves often six inches wide, glossy, strongly waved, sometimes spoonform, irregularly blistered; outer ones nearly flat upon the earth; head large, rather clearly defined, often flattened on the top, three to four inches in diameter, outer leaves of the head hood-shaped, completely overlapping one another, clear glossy green, the finely ruffled border curving back a little, inner leaves whitish green, often becoming bitter before the flower stalk starts; stem striate, little branched, paniculate, producing little seed; seeds white. 

"This variety is perhaps of all the lettuces the one that holds its head best. The floral stem is often unable to break through the leaves without aid." Vil.

"Aside from the tardiness of the plant in flowering, the yield of seed is never abundant." Burr.

In the Station garden this variety has not always headed well, and has not retained its head longer than several others.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 303.

The Large Saint Angelo, Dam., '83, was slightly smaller in size than the Neapolitan, but scarcely different in other respects. We think it not sufficiently distinct to be described as a separate variety.


No. 44. Negrohead, Ben., '83. 

Synonym:

• Milan, Ben., '83.

Young plant dull green, much washed with dark reddish brown where most exposed to light; leaves oval, apex entire or retuse, outer ones waved, inner ones somewhat folded on the midrib, puffed and blistered, veins not very conspicuous.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, the inner leaves much washed with dark reddish brown on the borders; forms a pretty, well defined, compact, roundish or slightly oblong head about three inches in diameter, greenish yellow within; outer leaves of plant much waved, little blistered, inner leaves much puffed and blistered; stem smooth, washed with purple, corymbose, stem leaves pointing outward, leaves on the branches bordered with rich purple; seeds yellow.

Endures the heat well, and is slow in running to seed; but not sure to head unless sown very early.


No. 45. Palatine, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Brown Cabbage (d.), Burr;
• Brown Genoa, Vil., '84;
• Grise Dam., '84;
• Fr., Laitue brune d'Achicourt, Vil. ;
• L. brune d'Arras, Vil.;
• L. brune Hollandaise, Vil. ;
• Incomparable, Vil.;
• L. jeune brune, Vil.;
• L. oeil-de-perdrix, Vil.;
• L.palatine, Vil., '85; (below)
• L. petite brune, Vil.;
• L. roulette d'ete a gr. n., Vil.;
• L. rousse, Vil.;
• L. Palatine rousse, Noisette;
• Ger., Brauner fester Pariser Lattich, Vil.

Les Plante Potagère, Latuie Palantine

Young plant green, much washed or spotted with brown with a few scattering chocolate colored dots; leaves broadly ovate spatulate, or roundish, obscurely dentate in the upper half, apex retuse, borders of inner leaves somewhat undulate, and their surface puffed and blistered, midribs whitish green above, usually tinged with purple below, veins rather conspicuous.

Mature plant, spreading, about ten inches in diameter; outer leaves tipped with a peculiar reddish copper color, all leaves sparsely spotted with chocolate brown; forms a rather loose and poorly defined head about three inches in diameter, of which the inner leaves are yellowish green, finely puffed and slightly blistered; outer leaves waved; stem smooth, purple, paniculate, stem leaves pointing outward, tinged with purple, sparsely spotted with chocolate color, paniculate; seeds black.

"No lettuce is superior to this for summer and autumn. It forms promptly, holds its head well, and endures the cold well. During the latter part of summer and the entire autumn this variety furnishes more than half of the head lettuce that is carried to the Paris market." Vil.

"Must be classed as one of the best." Burr.
Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 300.


No. 46. Pelletier, Dam., '83, Vil, '85.

Synonyms:

• Curled Beauregard, Vil., '85;
• Laciniated Beauregard (d.), Vil. ;  (below)
• Fr., Laitue Beauregard, Vil.; L. Beauregard a feuille laciniee, Vil.; 
• L. frisee a couper Beauregard, Vil., '85; 
• Ger., Geschlitzter Beauregard Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

Very distinct; young plant pale yellowish green, leaves deeply cut, the edges of the pointed lobes folding together below, causing the apexes to point upward; midribs broad at the base, dividing into very numerous translucent veins.

Mature plant about eight inches in diameter; forms a compact, well defined, pointed head three inches in diameter; leaves neither puffed nor blistered; stem tall, smooth, paniculate, stem leaves deeply dentate to the top, ears long, narrow, sharply pointed; yields very little seed, many plants forming no flower stalk; seeds black.

Quite ornamental, but of little value for the table, owing to its small size, lateness and inferior quality.

Figured correctly in Les pi. pot., p. 305.

No. 47. Prize Head, Sib., '83.

Synonyms:

• American Curled, Vil, '84, 
• American Gathering, Vil., Sib., '83, J7iorS., '85; 
• American Gathering Head (d.), Breck; 
• Ferry's Early Prize Head, Ferry, '83; 
• India Head, Vil. ; New American, Vil. ; 
• Fr., Laitue d'Australie, Vil. ; 
• L. blonde doree, Vil. ; 
• L. doree d'Amorique, Vil.; 
• L. frisee d'Amerique, Vil.; 
• L. pommee du Texas, Vil.; 
• Romaine rouge, doree, Vil.; 
• Ger., Krauser Amerikanischer Pfliick-Lattich, Vil.

This might be the same variety, but this packet was said to be circa 1910.

Leaves of the young plant more or less washed and speckled with brownish red on both sides, oval or roundish, border distinctly ruffled, apex pointing upward, inner leaves most colored, much blistered.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, central leaves dark rich red where most exposed; head not clearly defined, the densely ruffled and blistered inner leaves being compactly folded together in apparent confusion; stem smooth, slightly washed with purple, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, pointing outward, inclining to ruffle, borders strongly tinged with purple, ears half embracing, pointed, very prominent; seeds white.

"An excellent variety, early, slow in running to seed, and very tender and well flavored. Derived from the Batavian lettuce." Vil.

No. 48. Red Besson, Greg., '83, Sib., '83, Vil, '84.

Burpee 1885

Synonyms:

• Marvel, Vil., '84, Sib., '83; 
• Fr., Laitue Besson, Vil.; 
• L. merveille des quatre saisons, Vil., 'So; (below)
• L. mousseline rouge, Vil.; 
• Ger., Rothbrauner Besson oder Wunder Kopf-Lattich, Vil.; 
• Winter Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

Les Plante Potagère, Latuie Merveille Quatre Saisons

Young plant dull dark red; the inner leaves glossy, leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, inner leaves slightly blistered, veins brownish above, midrib reddish above, slightly more greenish below.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, rich glossy red in all parts exposed to the light; head well defined, roundish, about four inches in diameter, the outer leaves of it exposing their lower surfaces, inner leaves nearly white; leaves about the head, and outer leaves of plant densely puffed and blistered; stem short, slender, smooth; seeds black.

An excellent lettuce for spring or summer. It endures the heat well, and is very slow in running to seed.

Figured correctly iu Les pl. pot., p. 300.


No. 49. Red Edged Victoria, Vil.

Synonyms:

• Boston Market, Hend., '84; 
• Early Cabbage, Vil.; 
• Early Paris Market, Vil.; 
• Early Yellow. Vil.; 
• Red Bordered, Vil., Burr; 
• Red Edged, Vil., '84; 
• Victoria, Vil, '84; 
• Ward's Improved White Tennis Ball, Greg., '85 ; 
• White Dutch, Vil.; 
• Fr.,Laitue a bord rouge, Vil, '85;  (below)
• L. Bordelande, Vil.; 
• L. Gordon rouge, Vil.; 
• Ger., Bruine Geel Lattich, Vil, '85; 
• Gelber rothkantiger Prinzenkopf L., Vil.; 
• Holl., Broei Gele latouw, Vil.; 
• Harlemsche gele L., Vil.

Young plant pale, slightly yellowish green, more or lesa wheelform in its early stages of growth; leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, borders coarsely undulate, surface waved, puffed in the lower half, scarcely blistered.

Mature plant seven to ten inches in diameter, about five inches high, compact; outer leaves roundish, almost plain, lying on the earth, those that surround the head very pale yellowish green, of tea tinted with brown on the borders, which point outward, the brown disappearing at a later stage of growth, coarsely blistered, puffed toward1 the base; head very solid, clearly defined, about three and a half inches in diameter, four inches tall, the leaves composing it very pale yellow; the outer leaves of the head do not quite meet at the top; stemshort, faintly washed with brown, compactly corymbose; seeds white.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot,, 293,

The names Red Bordered, Red Edged Victoria, etc., under which this variety has long been known, seem objectionable because as grown by us, the borders are not red at any stage of growth, and the name Victoria has been applied to at least three other varieties.

A "White Dutch " lettuce was mentioned by M'Mahon in 1806, and in the Gardeners'Chronicle in 1850; a "Laitue a bord rouge," in L'Hort. Franc, 1824, and in other writers 1826, 1829, etc. Red Edged Victoria is described in Gardeners'Chronicle, 1868; Victoria or Red Bordered by Burr in 1863, etc.


No. 50. Red Winter Cabbage, Thorb., '84.

Synonyms:

• Hardy Red Winter, ViL, '84; 
• Fr., Laitue rouge d'hiver, Vil., '85; (below)
• Ger., Rother fester winter Kopf-Latticb, Vil.

Vilmorin Andrieux & Cie

Young plant low and spreading, often inclining to wheelform, clear green, more or less washed with reddish brown, especially in the inner leaves, which are often spoonform with undulate borders; leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, outer leaves somewhat waved, nearly smooth, inner ones puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, open and spreading; leaves where most exposed to light tinged with reddish brown; head large, slightly oblong, compact, forming promptly and enduring rather a long time, pale green, very strongly tinted with reddish brown; leaves around the head coarsely puffed and blistered; stem slender, smooth, mostly red, corymbose; seeds white.

Heads well only when grown in cool weather. Unless sown very early in spring it is of little value.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 289.


No. 51. Roquette, Vil, '84.

Young plant intense deep green; leaves roundish, dentate and undulate in their whole outline, apex retuse, pointing upward, all leaves more or less blistered, inner ones densely blistered and puffed, midribs and veins greenish white, the latter conspicuous, slightly sunken.

Mature plant four to six inches in diameter; forms a remarkably solid little head about two inches in diameter and three inches long; leaves densely blistered, very mild but a little tough; seeds white.

This very distinct lettuce is remarkable for the neatness and solidity of its head, which is almost as hard as that of a Winnigstadt cabbage. Its small size would seem to make it desirable for frame culture, but it is very late, which makes it undesirable for this purpose.

No. 52. SHOTWELL's BROWN HEAD, Thorb., '85.

The outer leaves of the young plant are dull pale green, much washed with brownish red; inner leaves almost completely red; plant low and spreading; leaves oval or obovate, apex retuse, obscurely dentate in the upper half, inner leaves often spoonform, much blistered and puffed, midribs greenish white.Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter; forms a rather compact head about four inches in diameter, of which the outer leaves scarcely meet at the top, and are deep brownish red at the apex, inner leaves of the head greenish yellow, faintly tinged or spotted with red; stem smooth, purplish red, speckled with darker spots, paniculate, stem leaves deep rich purple; seeds black.

 A good variety for summer. It is slow in forming the head, but very slow in running to seed. 

This variety closely resembles the Improved Spotted (w.s.), the chief difference in their appearance being that the head of this is little stained with red within, and the outer leaves are a little darker brown. It forms very little seed, few plants being able to burst the head.


No. 53. STONE HEAD GOLDEN YELLOW, Greg., '84. 

Young plant pale yellowish green, often approaching wheelform; leaves roundish, scarcely dentate, even toward the base, outer ones strongly waved, surface nearly smooth, inner leaves puffed and blistered, with undulate margins. Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, conspicuous for its pale yellow color; forms a compact, oblong head three inches in diameter, of which the outer leaves curve outward at the apex, leaves surrounding the head quite spreading, much puffed and blistered. This variety is rather early, heads well and is of excellent quality.

No. 54.  SUGAR LOAF, Greg., '83

Synonym:

• Victoria Cabbage, Thorb., '84.

Young plant very vigorous, dull green, more or less washed with brownish red, the inner leaves often colored; leaves oval or shortly spatulate, dentate in their whole outline, obscurely towards the apex, which is retuse, borders rufiled in such a way that the apexes of the folds always point upward, inner leaves somewhat blistered, veins usually brownish.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, nine to twelve inches high; leaves washed with brown where most exposed to light, curving downward, coarsely puffed and blistered, borders slightly ruffled; forms a large, loose, oblong, not well defined head, of which the outer leaves are hood-shaped, rolling back a little on the borders; stem very tall, smooth, washed with purple, corymbose, stem leaves half erect, very broad at the base, very numerous, seeds white.

The head is not long retained, and is very slow in forming. An excellent summer lettuce, giving a most productive crop of excellent quality.

Introduced by Gregory, about 1880.

No. 55  TENNIS BALL, w.s., Vil., '84

Synonyms:

• Boston Market, w.s., Vil.;
• White Forcing head, Thorb., '83
• White Gotte, w.s. (d.), Burr;
• White Seeded Gotte (d.), Thomp.;
• White Seeded Tennis Ball, Sib., '83; 
• White Tennis Ball, w. s., Vil., '84; 
• Fr., Laitue d 'Ognon, Vil.; 
• L. gau. Vil.; L. gottea gr.hi., Vil., '85; 
• Ger., Sehrfraher fester Steiukopf Lattich, Vil.; 
• Sehr frueher gelber fester Steinkopf L., w. k., Vil.

Young plant pale yellowish green, very compact; leaves roundish, apex retuse, outer ones somewhat waved, nearly smooth, inner ones coarsely undulate, much blistered, midribs concealed in the compact foliage.

Mature plant about six nches in diameter, very compact; forming a firm head one and a half to two inches in diameter, three inches tall, of which the outer leaves curve back at the apex; leaves forming and surrounding the head puffed and blistered; head lighter in color than the outer leaves; stem short, smooth, broadly corymbed; seeds white.

Very largely grown for earliest culture under frames. Of little value for out door culture unless sown very early.

The Early Egg Cabbage, Vick, '85, seems to be an improved selection of this variety, somewhat larger in size, and running to seed less promptly.

Figured correctly in Lespl. pot., p. 291.
Mentioned by Petit in 1826.


No. 56. The Deacon, Harris, '83.

Young plant clear deep green, rather low and spreading; leaves roundish or shortly spatulate, margin obscurely dentate in tbe upper half, apex entire, inner leaves somewhat puffed and blistered, veins sunken, conspicuous, leaves verv thick.

Mature plant very compact, about twelve inches in diameter, remarkable for its finely formed, large, firm head, which often attains a diameter of five inches. When first formed the head is oblong, but later it becomes roundish, and finally distinctly flattened on the top. The outer leaves are very few and in the fully matured plant lie flat upon the ground so that there seems to be little of the plant except the head ; stem smooth, greenish white, corymbose, stem leaves pointing outward, obovate, very broad at the base, waved and blistered, with very small rounded or bluntly pointed ears ; leaves on the branches oblong, pointed, with nearly parallel sides; seeds white. .

As the plant matures the foliage assumes a lighter shade, and the leaves become yellowish on the borders; the head within is creamcolored, and continues sweet and tender until the flower stalk starts.

This variety was introduced about the year 1879 by Mr. Joseph Harris, of Moreton Farm, Rochester, N. Y., who procured the seed from a Mrs. Muller, a German lady who had selected the variety carefully for many years.


No. 57. Tom Thumb, F*7.,'84.

Synonyms: 

• Stone Tennis Ball, Vil., '84 (d), Burr; 
• Wheeler's Tom Thumb., Tliorb., 83; 
• Fr., Laitue gotte lente a monter, Vil.,'85; (below)
• Ger., Frueher gruener fester Steinkopf-Lattich, Vil.; 
• Gruener fester Steinkopf L., Vil.

Vilmorin Andrieux & Cie

Young plant spreading, inclining to wheelform, very pale green; leaves oval, rarely roundish, apex distinctly retuse, surface of outer leaves slightly and of inner ones very much blistered, sometimes puffed, veins not conspicuous.

Before forming the head the plant is distinct through its very densely blistered, spreading upper leaves and white midribs.

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter and six inches high, pale yellowish green, remarkably compact, forming an extremely firm roundish head, nearly or quite four inches in diameter, but which owing to the compact foliage is not clearly defined; the outer leaves of the head curve back at the apex; lower leaves of plant horizontal, all much puffed and blistered; stem rather tall, smooth, corymbose, stem leaves numerous, pointing outward; seeds black.
Not very large in size, but excellent in quality. It is early and holds its head remarkably well.

Introduced by H. Wheeler & Son, Eng., in 1858. (Gar. Chron.)

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 292.

The synonym Gotte lente a monter was grown by Thompson in 1850. (Gar. Chron.)


No. 58. TROUT, Farquhar, '85. 

Synonyms:

• Fr., Laitue flagella, Vil.; 
• L. panachee, Wil.; 
• L. sanguine a gr. bl. (d.), Wil.; 
• L. truite, Wil. 

Young plant pale green, densely spotted with small chocolate brown spots, spreading, often inclining to wheelform; leaves roundish or oval, apex entire or retuse, outer leaves strongly waved, usually more or less puffed, inner ones much puffed and blistered. 

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, five inches high, compact, dull green, denselv and finely spotted with reddish brown; forms a rather well defined, compact, roundish head about three inches in diameter, of which the inner leaves are speckled on a nearly white ground; outer leaves much waved, coarsely puffed and blistered; stem smooth, purple, corymbose, stem leaves roundish, pointing outward ; seeds white. 

A good summer lettuce, heading well, and very slow in running to seed.


No. 59. VERSAILLES, Vil., '84. 

Synonyms:

• Large Mogul, w. s. (d.) Dam.; 
• Large Versailles, Vil., ’85; 
• Large WhiteVersailles, Wil., '85; 
• Large Yellow Cyrius, Dam, ’83; 
• Versailles Cabbage, Greg., '83; 
• Fr., Laitue blonde royale, gr. bl. d.), Dam.; 
• L. de Versailles (d.), Noisette; L. blonde de Versailles, il., '85; 
• Ger., Cyrius Lattich, Vil.; 
• Gelber Cyrius, Wil.; 
• Grosser elber Cyrius, L., Wil.; 
• Grosser gelber non plus ultra, L., w. S. (d.), am., 
• Grosser gelber Savoyer L., Wil.; 
• Mogul L., Vil. 

Young plant clear green; leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, surface of inner leaves puffed and blistered, midribs whitish, veins rather conspicuous. 

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, very compact; forms a compact head three inches in diameter, of which the densely blistered leaves seem crowded together in untraceable disorder; leaves surrounding the head blistered and puffed in a remarkable manner, lower leaves coarsely puffed and blistered, with coarsely undulate borders; stem paniculate, stem leaves nearly smooth, usually pointing downward; seeds white.

This variety forms its head quickly and uniformly, cabbages white and crisp, is slow in shooting up to seed, and flourishes in almost every description of soil." Burr. It is tender and of good flavor, though the leaves sometimes become bitter before the flower stalk forms.

Figured correctly in Album de cliches.

Described by Browne in 1854, by Thompson in 1850, and in L'Hort. Franc, in 1824.

No. 60. Best Early Dwarf Green, Vil., 84.

Synonyms:

• Dwarf Green Early, b. s., Greg., '84; 
• Earliest Dwarf Green, Vil., '84; 
• Landreth's Forcing, Land., '85;
• Fr.,Laitue nain vert irhs hdlive, Vil., 84.

Young plant very deep green, extremely compact in growth; leaves broader than loug, dentate only in the lower part, apex retuse, border of inuer leaves undulate, surface much blistered, midribs almost concealed in the compact foliage, veins rather conspicuous.
Mature plant about six inches in diameter, very compact, forming a firm head three inches in diameter, the outer leaves of which curve outward at the apex; all leaves blistered, inner ones finely; leaves about the head coarsely uudulate, approaching ruffled; stem rather short, branching very low, corymbose; seeds black.

A very early and excellent heading lettuce, superior for forcing.


No. 61. White Batavian, W.s., Vil, 8±,Sib., '85.

Synonyms:

• Drumhead Cabbage (d.), Burr; 
• Early Silesiasian, Chis. trial.; 
• Hooper's Incomparable, Chis. trial.; 
• Large Drumhead, Burr; 
• Large Green Head or Cabbage (d.), Thomp.; 
• Prince Albert, Chis. trial.; 
• Bed Edged Drumhead (d.), Chis trial.; 
• Silesian, Vil., '84; 
• Spanish, Burr; 
• White Silesian, Vil.; Fr., 
• Laitue Batavia abord rouge, Vil.; 
• L. Batavia blonde, Vil.,'85; (below)
• L. de Silesie Vil.; 
• L. tete de mort, Vil.; 
• Ger., Grosser gelber Kopfmontree Lattich, Vil.; 
• Grosser gelber montree L., Vil.; 
• Spater gelber montree L. (d.), Dam.; 
• Holl. Groote gele montree latouw, Vil.

Vilmorin Andrieux & Cie

Young plant light, sometimes golden green; leaves open, few in number, roundish or oval; borders ruffled, of inner leaves faintly tinged with brown, surface of outer leaves nearly smooth, of inner ones densely and finely blistered, veins sunken, conspicuous.

Mature plant twelve to fourteen inches in diameter, eight inches high; foliage densely and finely blistered, but not puffed; head slightly oblong, very large, well defined and very solid at its best, very pale green, tinted with light brown or russet, leaves of the head hood-shaped, nearly inclosing one another; those about the head curve outward toward the apex until the head is completely formed, and are usually strong, tinted with brown on the borders, though sometimes almost clear green; stem irregularly striate, often flattened, washed with purple below, branches faintly tinged with purple, sometimes sparsely spotted with deep purple, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, usually pointing downward with very large ears; seeds white.  (Wow!  That is one sentence.)

"Adapted to all seasons, hardy, retains its head well, withstands heat and drought, blanches white and crisp, and is of excellent flavor." Burr.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 302.

No. 62. White Boulogne, Vil., 84.

Synonym:

• Fr Laitue blonde de Boulogne, Vil, '85.

Young plant low and spreading, often wheelform, pale yellowish green, with a few chocolate colored spots; inner leaves faintly washed with brown, often spoonforin; leaves roundish or oval, apex entire or retuse, borders of inner leaves coarsely undulate, surface puffed and blistered, veins rather conspicuous.

Mature plant about eight inches in diameter; leaves much waved, rather spreading, with little or no tendency to head, when grown in the open ground; innermost leaves golden yellow,puffed and blistered; stem short, broadly corymbose.

This variety very early runs to seed, and is of no value in this climate, unless it be for forcing.


No. 63. White Chavignb, * Vil, '84, Sib., '83.

Synonyms:

• Fr., Laitue blonde de Chaviync, Vil., '85; 
• Ger., Gelber von Chavigne Kopf-Lattich, Vil.

Young plant clear green, compact, spreading, often somewhat wheelform; leaves roundish or oval, obscurely dentate in the upper half, apex retuse, margin scarcely undulate, even in the inner leaves, of which the surface is slightly blistered, veins sunken, rather conspicuous.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter; head clearly defined, large, often five inches in diameter, compact pale green, almost yellow above, whitish within, the leaves not meeting at the top; outer leaves roundish, coarsely blistered; stem short, slightly striate, paniculate, branches few and short; yields little seed; seeds white.

One of the finest heading varieties we have tested.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 296.


No. 64. White Paron, Vil.,'85.

Synonyms: 

• New Silver Ball, Till, '85; 
• Silver Ball New Winter, Dam., '84; 
• White Paron Cabbage, Vil.; 
• Fr., Laitue blonde de Paron, Vil, '85; 
• Silverball d'hiver gris argenter, w. s. (d.), Dam.; 
• Ger., Gelber von Paron Lattich, Vil.; 
• Silverball, neuer Winter, w. k. (d.), Dam.

Young plant clear green, spreading; leaves roundish or oval, apex retuse, outer loaves waved, usually more or less puffed, inner leaves often somewhat folded upon the midrib, with more or less undulate borders, much puffed and blistered; veins sunken, conspicuous.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter and five inches tall, compact, rather spreading, clear green with a slight luster; head not very well defined, three or four inches in diameter, of about equal height; yellowish green within, compact, outer leaves of the head more or less contorted; leaves surrounding the head curving outward at the top; outer leaves coarsely waved, rather sparsely blistered, distinctly puffed, midribs concealed in the compact foliage; stem intermediate between a panicle and corymb, stem leaves half erect; seeds white.

Excellent in quality but rather slow in forming the head, and rather prompt in forming the flower stalk.

Resembles the Turkish or Butter L. but differs from it in having more entire margins, less blistered leaves and a clearer green color,. With more lustre. Sometimes written white chavigny.

No. 65. White Summer, Vil., '84.

Synonyms: 

• All The Year Round, w. Vil., '84; 
• Butter, Vil.; Everitt's Mammoth Market, Everitt, '85 ; 
• Fine Large Mogul, Thomp.; 
• Francfurt Head, Vil.; 
• Frankfort Head, Vil.; 
• Large White Cabbage, Vil.; 
• Late "White Cabbage (d.), Thomp.; 
• Large Yellow Prince's Head (d.), Dam.; 
• Perpignan, Chis. trial.; 
• Prince's Head, Chis. trial.; 
• Princess, Vil.; Royal, w. s., Vil., '85; 
• Saxony, Thomp.; 
• Swedish, Vil.; 
• Sugar, Thomp.; 
• White Summer Cabbage, Vil.; 
• Fr., Laitue blonde, Vil.; 
• L. blonde d'ete,Vil., '85; (below)
• L. Gapillard, Vil.; 
• Li. jaune d'ete, Vil.; 
• L. jaune de Harlem, Vil.; 
• L. nonpareille, Vil.; 
• L. pomnieo de Zealande, Vil.; 
• L. pommee paresseuse, Vil.; 
• L. Royale a gr. bl., Vil.; 
• Ger., Grosser gelber Prinzonkopf Lattich, Vil.; 
• Haarlemer Blaukopf L., Vil.; 
• Haarlemer grosser gelber L., Vil.; 
• Grosser gelber Haarlemer Blaukopf L., w. k. (d.), Dam.

Vilmorin Andrieux & Cie

Differs little from the Berlin lettuce, except in the color of its seed. Young plant pale green, sometimes inclining to yellowish; leaves roundish or oval, sometimes obovate, apex retuse, surface much puffed, especially in the inner leaves, scarcely blistered.

Mature plant compact, nine to twelve inches in diameter; forms a very compact and clearly defined, roundish head about three inches in diameter, of which the leaves are very pale, almost whitish green; leaves about the head slightly spreading, strongly waved, the visible surface almost completely covered with rather large, regular, roundish blisters; stem smooth, head paniculate; seeds white.

One of the varieties most generally diffused. It is rather early, heads well in warm, dry weather, is slow in running to seed, and of excellent quality. We regard it as one of the best for out-door cultivation.

Figured correctly in Les. pl. pot., p. 295.


Cos Lettuces. 

No. 66. Ballon Cos, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Romaine Ballon, Vil., '84; 
• R. do Bougival, Vil.

Young plant rather pale green, leaves broadly obovate — spatulate, margin erose dentate, border scarcely undulate, apex entire or pointed, surface of inner leaves slightly puffed and blistered.


Mature plant about fifteen inches in diameter and twelve inches high; head large, thick, roundish, slightly flattened on the top. The plant forms only a loose, oblong head without tying; inner leaves finely blistered, but not puffed, outer leaves more coarsely blistered, slightly folded on the midrib, border scarcely undulate; stem irregularly striate, often flattened, stem leaves numerous, nearly erect, inversely spoonform; seeds black.

Late, very hardy and very productive.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 314.


No. 67. Bath Cos, b. s., Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Bath Green Cos (d.), Burr; 
• Brown Cos, Chis. trial.; 
• Giant Brown Cos, Chis. trial.; 
• Imperial Brown Cos, b. s. (d.), Dam.; 
• Fr., Romaine brune anglaise a gr. n., Vil, '84; 
• Ger., Brauner Bath Binde-Salat,s. k., Vil.; 
• Rothgruener Englischer Binde-Salat, s.k., Vil.

Young plant rather dull deep green, the extreme borders of the inner leaves faintly tinged with light brown; leaves erosely dentate throughout, apex entire or bluntly pointed, surface of leaves scarcely blistered, innermost leaves slightly folded upon the midrib, which is whitish green, faintly tinged with brown; veins conspicuous.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter. Very similar to the Bath Cos, w. s., but the leaves are a little shorter, and form a more spreading rosette, are more dentate on the borders, and form the head later; the stem is short, paniculate.

It does not always head unless tied.

Figured correctly in Les pi. pot., p., 313.


No. 68. Bath Cos, W. S., Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Bearfield Cos, Burr; 
• Brown Bath Cos, Thomp.; 
• Brown Cos, Vil.; Giant Brown Cos, w. s., Clus. trial.; 
• Imperial Brown Cos, Vil.: 
• Sutton's Berkshire Brown Cos, Burr; 
• Wheeler's Improved Cos, w. s., Chis. trial.; 
• White Seeded Bath Cos, Hort. Soc; White Seeded Brown Cos, Burr; 
• Wood's Improved Batli Cos, Burr; 
• Fr., Romaine brune anglaise & gr. hi.,Vil. '84; 
• R. d'Angleterre, Vil.; 
• R. incomparable, Vil.; 
• Ger., Brauncr Bath Bindc-Salat, w. k.; 
• Rothgruener Englischer Binde-Salat, w. k., Vil.

Young plant clear green, the outer leaves slightly tinted with brown; leaves spatulate, the outer ones half erect, margin dentate throughout, apex entire or pointed, slightly undulate; veins brownish, midrib white above, usually somewhat speckled with red below, where it is often slightly prickly.

Mature plant eight to twelve inches in diameter; leaves nearly erect, oblong, outer leaves washed or spotted with brown, inner ones green, neither puffed nor blistered; head oblong, almost pointed, pale green, very slightly tinted with dull brown; stem smooth, rather tall, strongly washed with purplish red, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, half erect.

"Extremely hardy and succeeds well in summer and aufumn. Though it heads moderately well left to itself, we are in the habit of tying it to hasten the production of tender white leaves." Vil.

Figured correctly in Les pi. pot., p. 312.


No. 69. Deer Tongue, Greg., '83.


Young plant clear green; leaves lanceolate, nearly erect, about three times as long as broad, margin erose dentate in the lower part, entire toward the summit, leaves neither puffed nor blistered, the inner ones closely folded on the midrib.

Mature plant nearly or quite eighteen inches in diameter, the longer leaves often a foot in length. It does not form a true head. The leaves spread more and more until the plant attains its full size, after which the central ones lift again inclosing the embryo flower stalk in a sort of loose imperfect head; stem very tall, much striated, often flattened, whitish green, paniculate; seeds black.

The leaves are very thick, tender and mild, and preserve their sweet flavor even after the flower stalk starts, and the lower ones have become dead.

Figured in its essential features in Bauhin's Prodromos, 1671, p. 60.

No. 70. Florence Cos, b. s., Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Golden Cos (d.), Thomp.; 
• Magnum bonum Cos, b. s., Vil., '84; 
• Fr., Romaine alpliange a yr. n., Vil., '85; 
• R. Sagau, Vil.; 
• R. Turque, Vil.; Ger., 
• Florentiner Binde-Salat, s. k. (d.), Dam.

Young plant clear green, borders of inner leaves very slightly tinged1 brown; leaves oval, approaching spatulate, erosely dentate in the lower third, obscurely dentate above, apex entire, inner leaves somewhat blistered, with undulate borders, midribs whitish, veins not conspicuous.

Mature plant twelve to fourteen inches in diameter eight to ten inches high, pale yellowish, almost golden green; outer leaves very long and broad, very slightly tinged with light brown on the borders; inner leaves densely and finely blistered; does not form a head without tying though the inner leaves grow erect; stem often flattened, striate, sometimes tinged purple, paniculate, stem leaves nearly erect, numerous.

An excellent summer cos; very slow in running to seed, veiy brittle and tender in quality, and extremely productive.

As Magnum Bonum Cos mentioned by Fessenden in 1828.

No. 71. Florence Cos, W. S., Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Magnum Bonum Cos, w. s., Vil., '84; 
• Fr., Romaine Alpliange a gr. bl. Vil., 'S4; 
• Ger., Gauz gelber Alpliange Binde-Salat, Vil.

Closely resembles the Florence Cos, b. e. The plant is a little larger, a shade deeper green, the leaves are slightly less spreading, more compact, and less blistered; the stem is smooth, tinged purple above, the stem leaves are half erect. Like that variety, it rarely heads without tying. Its qualities are the same.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 311.

No. 72. Golden Heart, Till, '84.

Synonym:

• Burpee's Golden Heart (d.), Bliss.

Young plant clear green, distinctly wheelform; leaves oval or ovate spatulate, apex retuse, outer leaves strongly waved, little if any blistered, sometimes puffed below, inner leaves somewhat undulate, much puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, six inches high, clear glossy green, the inner leaves inclining to yellowish; head not defined, the small densely blistered inner leaves crowded in disorder, forming a rather compact bunch ; outer leaves very numerous, much waved, little blistered, but very much puffed, leaves about the centre nearly erect; stem often flattened, striate, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, pointing outward, strongly waved, smooth; seeds white.

A summer lettuce that is rather slow in growth and runs to seed rather early. It may be called intermediate between the cos and cabbage lettuces.

Introduced by our seedsmen in 1884, and figured in Bliss's and Benson, Maule & Co.'s catalogue of that year.


No. 73. Gray Paris Cos, Vil, '84.

Synonym:

• Ice Parisian Cos, w. s. (d.), Dam.; 
• Fr., Romaine grise maraxchlre, Vil., '85; 
• R. grise de Paris, gr. bl. (d.), Dam.; 
• Grauer Selbstschliess Panser Binde-Salat, w. k. (d.), Dam.

The young plant differs little from that of Paris White Cos, except that it is perceptibly deeper in color.

Mature plant eight to twelve inches in diameter; leaves nearly erect, forming a large, oblong head about six inches long and three inches in diameter, neatly rouuded at the top, moderately compact, blanches well without tying, leaves of head spoonform, slightly blistered, but not puffed; outer leaves more coarHely blistered; stem tall, striate, often flattened, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, nearly erect, ears prominent; seeds white.

Much grown for forcing about Paris, but little cultivated in this country, though it is little inferior to the other Paris Cos lettuces.

No. 74. Green Paris Cos, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Ady's Fine Large Cos, Chis. trial.; 
• Buokland Green Cos, Vil.; Green Cos, Thorb., '83; 
• Imported Paris Green Cos (d.), Hort. Soc.; 
• Kensington Cos, Burr; 
• Landreth's Heat Resisting Cos, Land., '84; 
• Paris Cos, Hort. Soc.; Paris Green Cos (d.), Bliss, '83; 
• Sutton's Superb Green Cos, Burr; 
• Wellington Cos. Burr; 
• Fr., Romaine verte maraichere, Vil.; (below)
• R. verte de Paris (d.), Dam.; 
• Ger., Gruner selbstschliess Pariser, w. k. (d.), Dam.; 
• Pariser gruner selbstschliessender Binde-Salat, Vil.

Young plant very deep green, leaves about half erect, midribs and veins nearly white, very conspicuous; leaves broadly ovate spatulate, erose dentate except toward the apex, which is entire or retuse. usually more or less folded on the midrib, borders of inner leaves slightly undulate.

Mature plant eight to fifteen inches in diameter, and of about the same height, forming a tall, oblong, pointed or slightly obtuse head, which presents three rather "well marked faces; leaves about the head erect, slightly blistered bnt not puffed, slightly glossy; stem tall, striate, often flattened, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, nearly erect, ears very prominent; seeds white.

An excellent sort for spring, summer or autum. It blanches well Without tying; is some days earlier than the White Paris Cos, and is largely used by market gardeners about Paris for cultivating under glass.

Figured in Album de cliches. 

No. 75. Green Royal Winter, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Fr., Romaine royale verte, Vil., '84; 
• R. royale verte d'kiver, Ft7.,'84; 
• Ger., Gruener verbesserter Winter Binde-Salat, Vil.; 
• Gruner Konigs-Binde-Salat, Vil.

Young plant deep green; leaves half erect, ovate or shortly spatulate, rather deeply dentate toward the base, obscurly so above, apex entire sometimes slightly pointed, borders straight except in the innermost leaves, which are often slightly puffed.

Mature plant about ten inches in diameter, and of about the same height ; leaves slightly glossy, all but the outer ones nearly erect; inner leaves spreading slightly until the head commences to form, when they curve inward so as to inclose one another. Head rather tall, moderately solid; blanches tolerably well without tying, stem striate, often flattened, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, half erect; seeds black.

[Assem. Doc. No. 41.] 25

Differs from the Green Winter Cos in growing more erect, and in being paler and more glossy. Figured correctly iu Les pl. pot., p. 108.


No. 76. Green Winter Cos, Vil, '84.


Synonyms: Fr., Iiomaine verte d'hiver, Vil.,'84:; Ger., Gruner Winter Binde-Salat, Vil.; Gelber Sachsenhauser binde-salat, Vil.

Young plant deep green; leaves roundish or obovate, margin entire except toward the base, borders of inner leaves undulate, slightly and finely blistered, veins not very conspicuous.

Mature plant ten to twelve inches in diameter, of nearly equal height; leaves very slightly glossy, shortly spatulate, curving outward, lower ones waved, all leaves more or less blistered, inner ones very finely; seeds black.

This variety does not head well unless tied. It blanches well, but the ribs and veins are rather coarse and hard. It is of little value as a summer lettuce in our climate.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 308.


It was described by Noisette in 1828, and is called by Vilmorin a very ancient variety.


No. 77. Ground Cos, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Fr. Romaine pomme en terre, Vil., '84; 
• Chicon pomme eu terre, Vil.

Vilmorin (color mine)

Young plant rather deep, clear green; leaves ovate-spatulate, erose dentate except near the apex, which is retuse, midribs and veins nearly white, the former very conspicuous, borders of inner leaves slightly undulate and their surface finely puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about eight inches in diameter; leaves deep glossy green, growing half .erect, the outer leaves much waved puffed and blistered, the inner ones somewhat folded on the midrib, much puffed, slightly blistered; stem smooth, corymbose, upper stem leaves approaching lanceolate ; seeds black.

This variety forms under favorable conditions a compact head, though unless sown very early it runs to seed without heading.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 311.


No. 78. Monstrous Brown Cos, Vil., '84;

Synonyms:

• Madeleine, Chis. trial; 
• Magdalina, Chis. trial; 
• Two-headed, Burr ;  
• Romaine a deux coeurs, Vil. ; 
• R. monstrueuse, Vil., '84.

Somewhat intermediate in aspect between the cos and cabbage types. Young plant very vigorous, clear green, slightly washed and spotted with light brown ; leaves broadly ovate spatulate, apex retuse or entire, outer leaves nearly smooth with coarsely undulate borders, inner ones slightly blistered, borders rather finely undulate, midribs conspicuous.

Mature plant twelve inches or more in diameter, deep, dull, glossy green, more or less-bronzed in places; does not head well unless tied; a few plants form a large hollow head, the outer leaves of which loosely embrace each other; inner leaves very densely, finely and prominently blistered, outer leaves slightly blistered, but not puffed; stem short stout, striate, ofteu flattened, much washed with purple above, rather intermediate but approaching corymbose, stem leaves broad at the base with prominent pointed ears; seeds white.

The plant sometimes sends out side shoots or suckers and occasionally produces two or more loose open heads.

No. 79. Red Winter Cos, Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Blood Rcl Winter Cos, Vil.; 
• Fr., Romaine rouge de Haarlem, Vil.; 
• R. rouge d'hiver, Vil, '84.

Young plant dark rich red; leaves colored alike on both sides, spatulate, erose dentate except about the apex, which is entire or retuse, borders nearly plain, surface smooth, the inner leaves somewhat folded on the pinkish midrib, veins slightly depressed.

Mature plant brownish red except at the centre; head tall, green except at the top, usually forms without tying; outer leaves long, rounded at the end, entire, nearly smooth; seeds black.

"The hardiness of this lettuce is its principal merit. When grown in summer it is of poor quality." Burr.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 309.

No. 80. Spotted Cos, b. s., Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Aleppo, b. s. (d.), Burr; 
• Bloody, b. s.,Burr; 
• Improved Spotted Cos, b. s., Vil, '84; 
• Red Spotted Cos, Burr; 
• Fr.,Romaine panachee perfectionee a gr. n., Vil., '84; 
• Ger., Selbstschliessender,

Black seeded looks like image of #81 below, but dwarf.
Here is that white seeded image as I am trying to put an image with each variety :-)

Young plant pale green, densely blotched and mottled with chocolate color, midribs purple, inner leaves glossy; leaves ovate, erosely dentate in the lower half, apex entire, margin straight and surface smooth except in the inner leaves which are very slightly puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, eight inches high; leaves broadly ovate spatulate, margin of inner ones undulate, surface more than half covered with reddish brown ; stem smooth, deep purple, paniculate, stem leaves spotted with chocolate brown at the top, rather numerous.

This variety has formed no head at the station, though it is said by Vilmorin to head without tying.

No. 81. Spotted Cos, w.s., Vil, '84.

Synonyms:

• Aleppo Cos, w. s. (d.), Thomp.; 
• Bloody Cos, w. s., Thomp.; 
• Improved Spotted Cos, w. s., Vil, '84; 
• Fr., Romaine flagellee a gr. bl., Vil., '84; 
• R. rouge d'Angleterre, Vil.; 
• R. sanguine a gr. bl., Vil.; 
• Ger., Bunter Forellen Binde-Salat, Vil.
• R. panachee a gr. bl, Vil, '85; 

Vilmorin 1884

Young plant beautifully mottled with pale green and chocolate brown, very spreading for a cos; outer leaves waved, inner ones strongly folded on the midrib, almost entirely deep rich brownish red, often glossy; leaves spatulate, coarsely erose dentate in the lower half, obscurely dentate toward the apex, which is entire or retuse, sometimes obscurely pointed; borders of inner leaves slightly ruffled, surface puffed and blistered ; outer leaves nearly smooth, with undulate borders, midribs often striped with red, veins scarcely visible.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter and in height; upper leaves half erect, apex curving outward, lower leaves sloping down ward; the whole plant much blotched and spotted with glossy reddish brown; leaves finely blistered throughout, borders much undulate, but scarcely ruffled except in the innermost leaves, which are puffed toward the base; petioles decidedly hairy below; stem striate, sometimes flattened, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, spotted with purple. Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 313.

This is apparently a very old variety. Its name appears under its various synonyms in American garden books of 1806, 1818, 1819 and 1863; in French works of 1824, 1826 and later; in English authors of 1778, 1850, etc. It was very probably the Lactuca Romans of Mathiolus, 1568, the Lactuca rubra of Caesalpinus, 1603, and the Lactuca maculosa of Bauhin, 1623.


No. 82. White Paris Cos, Vil, '84.

Synonyms: 

• Giant White Cos, Sib., '83*; 
• Ice Cos, Vil.; 
• London White Cos, Burr; 
• Moorpark Cos, Vil.; 
• Paris White Cos, Burr; 
• Sutton's Superb White Cos, Burr; 
• White Cos, Thorb., '83, Burr; 
• Fr., Chicon blonde, Noisette, 1829; 
• Romaine blonde de Loudres a graine blanche (d.), Dam.; 
• R. blonde maraichere, Vil., '84;  (below)
• Ger., Gelber Pariser Binde-Salat, Vil.; 
• Londoner, Markt Binde-Salat, w. k. (d.), Dam. ; 
• Pariser gelber Selbstschliessender Binde-Salat, Vil.
• Carter's Giant White Cos, Sib., '85;

Les Plante Potagère, R. blonde maraichere

Young plant clear green; leaves nearly erect, ovate spatulate, erosely dentate throughout, apex entire or bluntly pointed, inner leaves folded upon the midrib, slightly blistered, with slightly undulate borders.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, nearly as high; forms a large, oblong, loose head of which the outer leaves curve distinctly inward at the top; leaves about the head somewhat blistered and folded on the midrib, borders slightly undulate; stem tall, slightly striate, often flattened, paniculate, stem leaves numerous, nearly erect; seeds white.

"This variety is certainly most cultivated of all the Cos lettuces and perhaps of all lettuces. It appears very well suited to all temperate and even to warm climates, and is prized throughout the entire world. It enjoys rich soil and abundant watering." Vil.

"Next to the Green Paris Cos, this is the best, the largest and the longest in running to seed of all the summer lettuces. It is tender, brittle and mild flavored, less hardy and a few days later than the Green Paris Cos." Burr. In our experience at the station it has not been later than several other varieties in running to seed.

Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 310.

Cutting Lettuces.

No. 83. Boston Curled, Batch., '82, Sib., '83.

Synonyms:

• Boston Market Curled (d.), Hovey; 
• Curled, Burr; Green Curled (d.), Burr; 
• Early Boston Curled (d.), Ferry; 
• Endive leaved, Burr.

Henderson - 1884

Young plant pale yellowish green; leaves broader than long, margin very irregularly dentate in its whole outline, border very intricately ruffled, usually sharply folded at the apex, which points upward; outer leaves blistered, inner ones, almost covered with very small blisters, leaves much twisted and distorted, veins slightly sunken.

Mature plant nine or ten inches in diameter, having the form of a rosette. It forms no head.

“Extensively grown in the vicinity of Boston, Mass., for early marketing. It is deficient in crispness and tenderness. Its recommendations are hardiness, adaptation to early culture and forcing, and its beautiful appearance.” Burr.


No. 84. COMMON GREEN CUTTING, b. s., Vil., '84


Young plant clear green, remarkably vigorous; leaves nearly half erect, broadly spatulate, dentate in the lower two-thirds, obscurely sinuate above, apex retuse, outer leaves smooth, inner ones puffed and blistered.

Mature plant about twelve inches in diameter, of a peculiar almost glaucous deep green ; leaves very large, often ten inches long, and five inches wide, waved and blistered, very loose and spreading, the outer ones nearly half erect; plant shows no inclination to head, the outer leaves all tending to grow outward; stem tall, corymbose.

This variety is very rapid in its development, and very early runs to seed.

No. 85. COMMON GREEN CUTTING, w.s., Vil., '85.

Synonyms.

• Crisp Small Early Cutting, w. s., Wil., '84;
• Crisp Small Early Frame, w. s., Vil., '84;
• Fr., Laitue blonde à couper, Vil.,’85;
• Petite laitue crepe, Wil.

Plant pale yellowish green; leaves glossy, spatulate, becoming roundish as they increase in size, puffed toward the base, borders undulate, inner ones finely blistered. If the leaves are not cut when the plant is young, the central ones fold themselves about one another, but do not form a true head; stem smooth, corymbose ; seeds white. The flower stalk appears very early. This variety is chiefly used for frame culture.

No. 86. CURLED CUTTING, Vil., '84.

Synonyms:

• Small Curled Cutting, Vil. ;
• Fr., Laitue frisee à couper,  gr. n., Wil.,’85;
• Ger., Wollherziger gekrauster Schnitt Lattich, il.

Young plant clear green, leaves pinnately lobed, the lobes erosely dentate with ruffled borders, surface smooth, midribs greenish white, veins not conspicuous. Mature plant about six inches in diameter, very compact, the inner leaves crumpling together, forming no defined head; leaves blanched toward the base; stem slender, short, smooth, corymbose, stem leaves cut to the top; seeds black. Figured correctly in Les pl. pot., p. 316.

No. 87. OAK LEAVED, Hend., '85.

Synonyms:

• Fr., Laitue à careme, Vil. ;
• L. a feuille de chene, Vil.;
• L. a la reine, Vil. 
• L. épinard, (d.), Vil. 

Vilmorin's Oak Leaf :  http://www.rareseeds.com/oak-leaf-lettuce/

Young plant clear green, compact, spreading; leaves deeply and irregularly pinnately lobed, the whole width nearly equal in the length with a long projecting rounded retuse apex, borders somewhat undulate, surface usually strongly puffed, inner leaves often folded upon the midrib.

Mature plant eight to twelve inches in diameter, very compact, forming no head, but a very dense tuft of foliage, of which the leaves appear crowded together in much disorder; inner ones very pale yellowish green; stem more or less striate, usually broad through fasciation, paniculate, stem leaves very numerous, oblong, irregularly lobed, upper ones lanceolate, with prominent pointed ears; seeds black.

Laitue epinard is described by Noisette, 1829, and is mentioned in L'Hort. Fran., 1824. It is closely allied in the description to Laitue chicoree, and this type of lettuce appears to be the Endivia major of Tragus, 1552, the Lactucaintybacca of Tabernaemontanus, 1588, and Gerard, 1597, and the Lactuca folies endiviae of Bauhin, 1623.

INDEX OF NAMES OF LETTUCES. Synonyms are printed in roman.

The numbers refer to the number of the variety in the described list. (The list above.)

_______________________________________________

We have used the following abbreviations of the names of seedsmen, and of works upon gardening to which we have had more or less frequent occasion to refer.

An abbreviation of the name of a seedsman, attached to a variety with a date, indicates that the seed was obtained from that source, in the year specified, and under the name to which the abbreviation is appended. If the abbreviation is of the author or name of a book, it indicates that the name to which it is appended was taken from the author or book named:

Batch.—D. Batchelor, Utica, N. Y.
Ben.—Ernst Benary, Erfurt, Germany.
Bl. or Bliss.—B. K. Bliss & Sons, New York.
Brill.—Farm Gardening and Seed Growing, by Francis Brill, 1872.
Browne.—D. J. Browne, Patent Office Report, 1854.
Burr.—Field and Garden Vegetables of America, by Fearing Burr, Jr., 1863.
Carter.—Carter & Co., London, Eng.
Chis. Trial.—Chiswick Trial, Gardeners' Chronicle, 1868.
Dam.—Damman & Co., Portici, Italy.
Dybowski.—Traite de culture potagére, by J. D. Dybowski [1885].
Everitt.—-J. A. Everitt & Co., Watsontown, Pa.
Farquhar.—R. & J. Farquhar & Co., Boston, Mass.
Fessenden.—New American Gardener, 1828.
Harris.—Joseph Harris Seed Co., Rochester, N. Y.
Hend.—Peter Henderson & Co., New York, or Gardening for Profit, by P. Henderson, 1867.
Hort. Soc.—London Horticultural Society, Gardeners' Chronicle, 1860.
Hort. Fran.—Horticulture Francaise, 1824.
Hovey.—Hovey & Co., Boston, Mass.
Howcroft.—Howcroft & Watkins, London, Eng.
Land.—D. Lundreth & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa.
Les pl. pot.—Les plantes potagéres, by Vilmorin, Andrieux et Cie., 1882.
L'Hort. Fran.—L'Horticulteur Francaise, 1824.
Nellis.—A. C. Nellis & Co., Canajoharie, N. Y.
Noisette.—Manuel du jardinier, 1828.
Petit.—Nouveau Dictionnaire du Jardin, 1826.
Sib.—Hiram Sibley & Co., Rochester, N. Y.
Till.—I. F. Tillinghast, LaPlume, Pa.
Thomp.—R. T. Thompson, Gardeners' Chronicle, 1850 and 1860.
Thor. or Thorb.—J. M. Thorburn & Co., New York.
Vick.—James Vick, Rochester, N. Y.
Vil.—Vilmorin, Andrieux et Cie., Paris, France. 

"Fr." is used as an abbreviation for French; "Ger " for German, and " Hol." Holland.

* The names to which this abbreviation is applied have been taken from "Les plantes potageres," 1832, or the "Album de Cliches," 1883, by Vilmorin, Andrieux et Cie., or from seed packages obtained from this house.

Pre. or Prior prefixed to a date in any of the tables means that the fact there noted should have been noted previous to that date.

In the varieties received from Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux et Cie., the past season, we have been careful to preserve both the French and English names, when both were given on the packages. In all such cases we give the English name first, and append in parenthesis the French name.

19th c. - Pansies...What's In A Name?

A lot, I think, is in a name!  

In today's seed trade a name can make or break a sale I have read.  But how can you ignore names from the 19th century that are so magnificently awkward to our ears?  

(Plus, the word bloched has added a "t" in the last 100 years.)


How about Bugnot's for a name?  

Was there a Mr. Bugnot, famous for pansies?  I'll have to look and see. :-)

1840 - Miss Molesworth, The Pansy

How could one not share a pansy named Miss Molesworth!!

1883 - Commodore Nutt: The Lettuce, The Man

Commodore Nutt, the man, was the rage of Europe and United States around the 1860s.  Read the Wiki page on his life, it was fascinating! 

In the lettuce world Tom Thumb, the man, had already lent his name to a good small lettuce, so when another small lettuce was developed the Commodore's name leapt to mind.

I do not know who introduced Commodore Nutt to the trade.  It may have been Suttons, Seedsman to the Queen...but then again maybe not.  It did stay in the trade for 40 years or more.   By the way, Tom Thumb lettuce is still available, Nutt is not.

"Lettuces are a favourite salad, and several new varieties have recently appeared. One remarkably small early variety is well named the Commodore Nutt Cabbage Lettuce (Fig. 2). It is of a darker green colour, with closer and more compact habit, than Tom Thumb, and remains in use longer before going to seed. It comes remarkably early, is of splendid flavour, and for the first cuttings and small gardens will be found invaluable, as it may be planted four inches apart. Respecting this lettuce, the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe's gardener considers it "a great acquisition". "Livestock Journal Almanac, 1878

"Commodore Nutt is a Cabbage Lettuce of the All the Year Round type ; but it proved to be still dwarfer than that variety. It is nearly all heart, does not run to seed so soon as some of the larger kinds, and is a great acquisition, owing to its taking up so little room in beds or rows."      The Kitchen and Market Garden, 1882

Lettuce Commodore Nutt

At this time of year, when the autumn sown Lettuce for early spring supply is damping off wholesale, any kind that can be grown quickly to maintain a somewhat scanty supply will be valuable. In our own case damp is more fatal to the autumn-sown plants than frost. Against the latter one can protect, but excessive damp is fatal. 

Last season we found Commodore Nutt Lettuce our earliest to mature. Seedlings sown in boxes early in January and grown under glass gave compact heads early in April; it is a small variety but remarkably sweet.   Planted in boxes a few inches apart it turns in rapidly, and its compact habit. for it may be termed all heart, makes it more useful. 

I am aware there are much larger forcing varieties, such as Golden Queen, a very fine Lettuce, and excellent to follow the one named above, but as many readers of The GARDEN are aware the scarcity exists usually in April or early May, and even a few days gain is important. For frame purposes this variety is especially good; I have grown it in pots, but prefer boxes or shallow frames; if in boxes a little warmth at the start is beneficial.—VV.The Garden: An Illustrated Weekly Journal of Gardening, 1901

This is the wedding of Tom Thumb mentioned in the Wikiwand article up above, the wedding that so messed up Nutt.

Nutt and his lost love Lavinia's sister, Minnie Warren.

A giant man with Nutt.

1844 - The Pansy, Grand Duke of Russia; A Lovely Litho

My mother always bought me a pot of pansies for my birthday so they have become a flower that always makes me feel good when I see them.  While I buy my own now, her gift is always there.  This litho stands out for its charm!

1884 - D.M. Ferry's Pansies - Collection of the Nine Best

Tis the season...almost...here in Connecticut!  I have some flats out on the porch but the snow is still piled where they are to go.  Perhaps a big pot this year?

I am researching lettuces at the moment but when this colored plate turned up in the D. M. Ferry catalog on the way to an illustration for Early Tennis Ball lettuce I could not resist!