7o8 Bulletin 320 



erable, but in many places this is not procurable and the ordinary chicken 

 netting, or fence, is used instead. Strong stakes at intervals not to exceed 

 ten feet are used to support the netting. One advantage of wire netting 

 is that if stakes six feet high are used, a forty-two- or forty-eight-inch 

 strip of netting may be placed in position, and, if the season or soil is 

 favorable and the peas grow above this, a narrow strip of netting may be 

 added or a string or wire stretched from stake to stake over the row. 

 A well-galvanized netting can be used repeatedly for several years, and 

 will last longer if taken off in the fall and stored. 



String. — Another method is to construct a support of wire and string, 

 or of string alone. The ingenious grower can construct all sorts of fanci- 

 ful designs with wire and string on posts set not over ten feet apart. 

 Sometimes a wooden strip is nailed horizontally at the top and bottom, 

 but often a wire is used instead. From bottom to top, between these 

 horizontal strips or wires, a homemade network can be made. When the 

 peas are grown in double drills, the construction described above is made 

 on each side in box-Uke form. 



When sweet peas are grown in single drills especially on a considerable 

 scale, the best and cheapest support is one made by placing stakes at 

 intervals under ten feet, and winding strong cord around the row from 

 stake to stake. The strings are placed six to eight inches apart, or 

 closer if necessary. If the stakes are too far apart — ten feet or more — 

 the string will stretch after becoming wet or even damp, and the plants 

 will fall over. If appearance is not an object anything will serve for 

 stakes, as tailings from the mills, poles, and the like. When neat stakes 

 are driven in the row this method is very good in the garden as the 

 vines chng to the string better than to wire netting, which becomes hot; 

 also, the supports when string is used may be made as tall as needful for 

 the peas. Thus there are only the tops of stakes showing above a row 

 of short vines, in place of a row of uncovered netting. At the end of the 

 season, if the stakes are worthless the whole support, as well as the 

 sticks, can be burned. 



Sweet peas are sometimes grown in clumps and must be supported. 

 Here again sticks are often favored, especially where the plants occupy 

 a circle six or more feet in circumference. Wire netting cut in suitable 

 lengths may be made into cylinders for clumps of any size. 



Other methods. — Henry Eckford advertises a sweet pea support con- 

 sisting of four stakes, each in two pieces three feet long. These are placed 

 ninety degrees apart around a circle and three-foot netting is stretched 

 around them. When the peas reach the top, if greater height is needed 

 the upper half of each stake is fitted by means of a mortise into the top 

 of the one already driven and another strip of netting is put on. 



