452 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



sown in November, and when the winter proves favourable, they come 

 on in advance of those sown in spring. We do not advise amateurs 

 generally to sow in autumn, as much trouble is necessary to bring 

 them through the winter, and as likely as not the result will be dis- 

 appointing. However, those who are anxious to have them as early as 

 possible may make one sowing of a hardy sort, such as Sutton's Ring- 

 leader, about the middle of November, and another early in January. 

 Those whose space is limited had better wait until well into February, 

 as the chances are that a full crop will be the result, which is more 

 than can be looked for from earlier sowings. To keep up a succession, 

 we find a good plan is to sow at intervals of a fortnight or three weeks, 

 or, in fact, just as one sowing makes its appearance we sow another, in 

 quantities according to the requirements of the household. In dry 

 summer weather it is a good plan to draw good deep drills and soak 

 them with water before sowing, otherwise the seed may fail to 

 germinate, or germinate unsatisfactorily. In favoured localities it is 

 customary to sow as late as the middle of June for the purpose of 

 prolonging the season as much as possible. These must be regarded 

 merely as chance crops in the great majority of northern gardens ; and 

 we do not advise the ordinary amateur to continue sowing after the 

 middle of May — and in very cold late districts, the 1st of May — unless 

 there is plenty of ground and an anxiety to have Peas as late as 

 possible. 



A deep loamy soil suits the Pea best ; but good crops may be raised 

 in any garden-soil from light sand to heavy clay. They require to be 

 sown on different places yearly, as they will do very badly if sown 

 repeatedly on the same spot, and a proper rotation of crops will 

 enable the grower to do this without any special forethought. The 

 best crops are invariably raised on fresh land, and the best application 

 that can be made on heavily-manured garden ground which has been 

 long under garden cultivation, is fresh virgin loam. Where it is 

 possible to get fresh soil, it is always worth while to dig out trenches 

 2 feet wide and as many deep, and fill them with it, adding manure 

 if this is necessary. We of course refer to old gardens, where this 

 crop is not always satisfactory. Seasons like the past teach us that 

 Peas often suffer for want of water. In dry soils their growth has 

 been tremendous, while in ordinary seasons they are very often stin- 

 ted on such soils. To counteract the evil effects of drought as much as 

 possible, we have dug trenches, as if for Celery, and put 6 inches of 

 manure in the bottom, and when filling in the soil have left the centre 

 of the trench low, so that when water was applied the Peas got the 

 benefit of it, instead of its running away somewhere else, as it is apt 

 to do on soil sloping away from the rows and trodden water-tight ; 

 and the difference between Peas treated so and in the ordinary way, 

 in dry seasons, was very great. Our readers must have noticed, when 

 digging ground on which Peas have grown, that the soil is so dry that 



