THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 43 



into the ground, or at a fourth of that rate if sown in the drills with 

 the seed, which is the most economical method of employing it. 



The earliest peas should be sown on ridges, and the main crops 

 in trenches. In other words, the first earlies require the warmest 

 and driest position that can be found for them, and the more luxu- 

 riant and later sorts require heavily manured land in positious 

 favourable to the retention of moisture. In every case close cropping 

 is to be avoided as an unprofitable procedure, hence the custom of 

 growing spinach, and other smallish subjects, between early peas is 

 commendable, as necessitating a sufficient space between the rows of 

 peas to insure a free circulation of air. The dwarfest sorts, how- 

 ever, admit of being sown in close order, but the space between the 

 rows must be increased in a direct ratio with the heights of the 

 varieties. Our custom has been to extend the pea crop over the 

 largest extent of ground possible, so as to have room between the 

 rows for plantation of cabbage, cauliflower, and other summer crops, 

 the tallest sorts of peas being, fifteen to twenty feet apart in the 

 rows, and the dwarfer sorts at least five feet. The practice commonly 

 prevailing of sowing tall peas so close that there is scarcely room 

 left for the gathering of the crop is simply a waste of labour, land, 

 and seed, for where the vines mix aud entangle the produce is 

 miserably small, and if the crop has to contend with drought it soon 

 becomes hopelessly mildewed. 



In sowing the seed, drills two inches deep should be drawn with 

 the hoe guided by the line, and the seed sprinkled in the drills with 

 careful regularity. The early and wiry-habited sorts may be sown 

 rather thickly, but tall robust kinds should be fully two inches 

 apart. In districts favourable to early production, the first early 

 sorts are sown in November and December, but in places where the 

 soil is deep and damp, and the climate unfavourable, it is sheer 

 waste of labour to sow until the middle of February at the earliest, 

 aud, generally speaking, the middle of March is as early as the seed 

 can be sown advantageously. The earlier the better everywhere, of 

 course, but a sowing of peas made a week too soon will scarcely pay 

 for the ground it covers, hence in cold districts experienced culti- 

 vators wait for favourable weather, without respect to the almanac, 

 for the good reason that a late sowing that has had no check will in 

 the end overtake and surpass in productiveness earlier sowings that 

 have been two or three times pinched by frost, or dessicated by the 

 east winds. Sowings of the second early and main crop sorts 

 should be made from the middle of March to the end of May, 

 according to requirements, and if these are sown in trenches prepared 

 as for celery, at a distance of about fifteen feet apart, they will 

 produce double the crop, aud last double the time in bearing than 

 the same sorts would if sown upon the level in a close piece with 

 only enough space between for gathering. 



It is of the utmost importance to put stakes or rissels to peas 

 very soon after they come through the ground, for from the first 

 moment they require support they should have it. Even the dwarfest 

 sorts will give a better yield if assisted with suitable sticks, or a 

 couple of lengths of strong twine run along on each side to prevent 



