REPORT OF MR. W. 8. BLAIR 



315 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



GARDEN PEASE — SINGLE VS. DOUBLE ROWS. 



Eight varieties of garden pease were sown in plots 33 feet long, each plot occupy- 

 ing an area 2J feet wide. In one set of plots one row was planted down the centre 

 of the plot, and in the other series 2 rows 6 inches apart were planted down the centre 

 of the plot. The object of the experiment was to determine the gain, if any, of plant- 

 ing 2 rows of garden pease together instead of only one. The double rowed plots re- 

 quire much greater labour in hoeing, whereas in the single rows very little hand hoeing 

 is necessary, the work being done with a horse and cultivator. 



The yield was greater in the double rowed plots, and the general appearance of the 

 plots for market decreased in value in proportion to the thickness of the vine growth 

 on the double rowed plots. In the remarks on the general appearance of the pods when 

 gathered, 10 points is taken as a standard of perfection. It will be seen that the dwarf 

 kinds, Nott's Excelsior and American Wonder, were much more perfect in the double 

 row plots than the variety Heroine. This was due to the much greater vine growth of 

 the latter, which prevented proper development of pods when the vines trailed on the 

 ground. 



The yield from these plots is given in the following table: — 



Single vs. Double Eows of Garden Pease. 



The object of this experiment was to determine the value of putting stakes 6 

 inches apart for the pea vines to cling to in place of letting them go on the ground. 

 Stakes of alder bushes about 4 feet long with many of the branches left on were used. 

 One series of these plots consisted of single rows 2i feet apart, and the other series 



