Culture of the Sweet Pea 701 



Whatever the soil, unquestionably the best preparation is made by 

 trenching the soil in the autumn.* When, owing to expense, the soil 

 cannot be completely trenched, practically the same result may be accom- 

 plished by digging a trench fifteen inches wide for each row. The soil 

 should be broken up to a depth of fifteen inches to two feet, and on some 

 soils even deeper. Unless the soil is very uniform in composition, it is 

 disastrous to bring the bottom soil to the surface; but this should be 

 turned over in the trench, mixing with it, if heavy and compact, rather 

 coarse stable manure or litter. Sometimes leaves are available for placing 

 in the bottom of the trench. The use of these materials in subsoil pro- 

 motes drainage, as well as improves the soil. 



If a good layer (four inches) of half-rotted stable or cow manure is 

 placed between the top and bottom spadefuls, and the top soil, if heavy, 

 made light with old manure, an excellent preparation has been made. 

 The office of the manure is not only to increase the store of plant food, 

 but also to increase the water-holding power. 



Bone meal, applied at the rate of one ounce per yard of trench, is 

 essential. 



A good dusting of air-slaked lime applied while working the soil in the 

 autimm is very beneficial. Many soils that have been cultivated for 

 a long time are acid, so that leguminous plants, such as clover or sweet 

 peas, will not grow, or, at least, do not thrive. Lime corrects this acid 

 condition and, furtherm.ore, it releases plant food that would not other- 

 wise be available in soils which are not acid. Clay soils are made more 

 open and porous by the use of lime. 



Deep preparation not only promotes available fertility, but also increases 

 the area in which moisture and noiirishment may be found, and the plant 

 responds by sending feeding roots in all directions. 



While it must not be inferred that sweet peas can be grown only in 

 deeply trenched and prepared soils, it is true that only under exceptional 

 conditions are the results satisfactory when this is not done. Uniformly, 

 year after year, the sweet peas with the strongest root systems will pro- 

 duce the finest flowers during the longest period. 



The seed 



Some white-flowered varieties have white or light-colored seeds, and 

 some have 'black seeds. The white seeds often give trouble by rotting 

 in the soil — especially if planted early when the soil is cold — or because 

 their germinating power has been impaired; also they frequently split 

 in the pod before harvesting and in this condition are likely soon to lose 



* The texture of clay soils is sensibly altered when fall-plowed or stirred and exposed to the action of 

 frost. 



