This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Some people like to start their dinner with a salad of lettuce or other leafy greens. Ancient Egyptians and Romans also liked to have lettuce with their evening meal. But they served it at the end.

There are hundreds of kinds of head and leaf lettuces. The most popular ones include head lettuces such as iceberg, Boston, bibb and romaine.

Experts say lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in your garden. The best time to plant the seeds is during cool weather. Advisers at the University of Illinois Extension say the best planting temperature is fifteen degrees Celsius.