1572 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



four inches deep, but cover them with only an inch of soil. After the 

 seedlings come above the ground, gradually draw the soil towards them, 

 and continue to do this as the plants grow, until the trench is filled. 



Peas grown on a large scale for canning purposes are generally sown 

 with a grain drill. The old practice was to sow them in drills running 

 but one way across the field, using from two to three bushels of seed to the 

 acre; the more modem practice, which gives better results, is to plant half 

 the peas in drills running lengthwise of the field and the other half in 

 drills running crosswise, using at least four bushels of seed to the acre. A 

 more uniform stand and a larger yield are thus obtained. If a grain drill 

 is not availaVjle, peas may be sown by hand and harrowed into the soil, 

 which in this case should be in very fine tilth and weed free. In a small 

 garden, the one-row seeder may be used, and, if so, the seed should be 

 planted from one to two inches deep in rows from tweh-e to eighteen 

 inches or more apart, according to the habits of the variety used. 



The amount of seed to plant varies from two to six bushels per acre 

 according to the soil and the variety. In general, four bushels per acre is 

 the best amount, but if the peas are grown in a small garden and the 

 pods hand picked, six bushels may be necessary. 



Cultivation. — If peas are sown with a grain drill or broadcasted, no 

 cultivation is possible; therefore, in that case, the preparation of the 

 ground should be most thorough. If they are planted in rows that are 

 some space apart, cultivation should begin soon after the plants appear 

 above the ground and should be repeated very frequently. Some persons 

 think it advisable to cultivate peas at least every five daj^s. It is im- 

 portant to conserve all moisture possible in the soil, for this crop requires 

 four hundred and seventy-seven pounds of water to produce one pound 

 of dry matter. Shallow cultivation will give the best results, because 

 the roots of this plant come very near the surface of the soil and spread 

 so far that deep cultivation would injure them seriously. 



In home gardens, where tall-growing varieties of peas ma}^ be desirable, 

 some form of a support is necessary. Brush, chicken wire, or a trellis 

 made with strings will be found satisfactory. 



Insect pests and methods of control. — Pea weevil is one of the most com- 

 mon pests, and the method of control is the same as that given for bean 

 weevil on page 1563. 



The annual loss caused by pea louse is very large. On small plantings, 

 this insect may be controlled by spraying the plants with a ten or twelve 

 per cent solution of kerosene emulsion or a solution of nicotine, laundry 

 soap, and water, mixed in the following proportions — three-fourths pint 

 nicotine, five pounds laundry soap, and one hundred gallons water. Many 

 birds and insects are the natural enemies of the pea louse. During the 



