Big Boston and Romaine Cos Lettuce (1923)

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FIELD NOTES ON LETTUCE
by Lester L. Morse
San Francisco: C. C. Morse & Co.
Autumn 1923

   Last posting before parking tickets.
   The U.S. Government publication on lettuce (in the same series as VARIETIES OF CHEESE and about the same time) is earlier and better, but Morse was worth copying...Morse also wrote FIELD NOTES ON ONIONS (1923), but no Vidalia.  I also didn't see Vidalia in POTATO AND ONION WORLD (1960s).


Pg. 23:
BIG BOSTON, W. S.
   Probably the most generally used variety in cultivation and listed by practically every seedsman in America and Europe.  In Europe, however, the name for it is usually _Trocadero Cabbage_.  It is a cabbage head, butter type, medium large, finely shaped, globular, medium light green with slight tinge of brown on margins of outer leaves.  It is early and hardy and stands shipping well.  The leaf is smooth and pracitcally not blistered or savoyed with a tendency to a bright sheen.  The head itself is brittle, buttery and the interior quite a golden yellow.
   We grew the variety first in 1887 for Peter Henderson & Co. under the name of _Trocadero Cabbage_.  Mr. C. H. Henderson seeing it in their Trial Grounds and comparing it with _Boston Market_, noted its similar appearance, but by contrast much large and finer, so suggested the name _Big Boston_.  The name proved to (Pg. 24--ed.) be at once attractive and popular.  We also grew the same variety the year following under the name of _Lorthois Cabbage_.

(The American Periodical Series has an ad for "Big Boston Lettuce" in the LADIES' HOME JOURNAL, February 1894, pg. 28--ed.)

Pg. 54:
ROMAINE COS.
   The common French and Italian name for the Cos type of lettuce.  In San Francisco the name _Romaine_ usually means _White Paris Cos_ since that is the variety commonly used by the gardeners.

(The NEW YORK TIMES has "Salade a la Romaine," 28 January 1877, pg. 9.  In 10 April 1887, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 8, from the LONDON WORLD, "...I should state the cost price of lettuce in Paris.  To this I reply that the retail price of _romaine_ is 6d. to 7 d. a head;...--ed.)