Geography

Iceberg lettuce was developed from the French Crisphead lettuce, Batavia, by W. Atlee Burpee & Co. in 1894. It was originally named for its ice white color and crunchy texture but its namesake evolved over the next halfcentury to reflect its method of shipment: buried in ice in Trans Atlantic railroad cars. In the mid20th Century, Iceberg lettuce became a symbol of Americas rapidly industrializing agricultural system as it received a technological jolt to increase its value. Whirlpool Corporation developed controlled and modified atmospheres and packaging, giving Iceberg lettuce a greater shelflife and transportational endurance. This technological advance allowed for Iceberg lettuce to become perhaps the single most important commercial lettuce world wide. Iceberg lettuce varieties are continually being modified and redeveloped to improve quality and disease resistance. See more at: http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce.php?item=5882#sthash.A6y7LIV2.dpuf