570 



\ 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



trench, 24 to 30 inclies wide and two inches deep, and 

 then sow the seed one inch deep in single or double 

 rows. The trench should be kept open for six weeks 

 in order to retain the water. 



Shall the planting be in single drills, broad drills, 

 or double rows or drills? It matters little, provided 

 sufficient room is allowed fi)r the growing plants. An- 

 other method of securing early blooms out of doors, 

 which is practiced by many English growers and is 

 especially valuable for exhibition purposes, is to sow 

 the seed in pots under glass, after which the plants are 

 hardened in cold frames and planted out. Pot-grown 

 plants should be started in February or March, the 

 time depending somewhat on the latitude and seasonal 

 conditions. 



In order to secure suitable plants six seeds should 

 be sown in 4-inch pots, using light, rich soil. 



When the plants are two or three inches high they 

 should be given supports of short twigs and placed in 

 a cold frame. Here they should be given plenty of 

 air at every opportunity in order to secure a short, 

 sturdy growth. If the plants do not catch hold firmly, 

 they may be tied with raffia. \\'hen spring begins and 

 the soil is in good condition the pots may be planted 

 in the open one foot apart in a single row or two feet 

 apart in a double row. In the latter case the plants 

 alternate. 



Sweet peas should be given some support from the 

 time they begin to make tendrils. 



If the soil has been prepared properly and the plants 

 look strong, and if the grower sees that the plants are 

 watered and given every care, then the support should 

 be six feet high. If the soil is only moderately fertile 

 or has not been deeply prepared, or if the grower does 

 not intend to keep all seed pods picked off or cannot 

 water the plants in order to overcome drought, tlie 

 support should be kept down to four feet. The variety' 

 has something to do with the height of the suj^port, 

 whatever the care bestov^-ed, some varieties lieing 

 naturally dwarfer growers. 



Frequent but extremely shallow cultivation should 

 be the rule in growing sweet peas. They should not 

 be allowed to suffer for lack of water, but watering 

 should not be done until it is absolutely necessary, 

 since if the soil has been deeply prepared the roots 

 will go down after both moisture and plant food. 

 When water is needed it should be applied thoroughly 

 and at least two or three times a week in very dry 

 periods. \\'hen it becomes necessary to water the 

 plants a mulch of thoroughly rotted manure around 

 the plants will be of great assistance in preventing too 

 rapid evaporation. 



The above-mentioned writer lays great stress on the 

 necessity of dispodding. In order to have fine flowers 

 and a long succession of bloom, it is infinitely more 

 necessary to keep the seed pods rigorously picked off 

 than it is to cultivate, mulch, or water. The latter 

 operations go for naught unless the pods are picked 

 off. The writer thoroughly believes that the impor- 

 tance of watering has been overemphasized and that 

 too many prefer to use the hose rather than to pick 

 pods; then they assert that the sweet pea is not what 

 it used to be — that it has lost constitution and the like. 

 Of course the more highly developed the variety the 

 less certain it is to bear up under neglect. There were 

 on the trial grounds at this station in 1910 some of 

 the oldest varieties, intnuhiced from 1865 to 1890, then 

 the latest hooded and i^randifloras, and finally the 

 waved type. Althougli no pods were ])ickcd from the 

 first two types after July 20, there was a noticeable 



difference in the flowering habit. The old varieties 

 were continuously blooming profusely, while the sec- 

 ond class were sometimes completely destitute of 

 flowers. The same holds true with regard to length 

 of stem. Some plants of Countess Spencer were 

 treated likewise in order to note the effect, and for 

 them the season was over early in August. 



The lesson is that if the grower does not intend to 

 comply with, the requirements of the improved types, 

 it is better to grow Butterflj', Captain Clarke, Peach 

 Blossom, and other small-flowered, precocious 

 varieties. 



FERTILIZERS. 



After sweet peas are in full flower fertilizers may 

 be applied. The best and safest fertilizer to use is 

 liquid manure, diluted to the color of weak tea and ap^ 

 plied once a week. It is often advantageous to alter- 

 nate this with sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda 

 at the rate of one ounce to six gallons of water. The 

 plant usually responds better to phosphorus than to 

 nitrogen, and even potash is often beneficial. Nitrate 

 of potash and phosphate of potash dissolved at the 

 same rate as the above-named fertilizers is of the 

 proper strength to apply. 



The most troublesome insects that attack sweet peas 

 in the United States are the red spider and the pea 

 aphis. The most serious fungus disease attacking the 

 sweet peas in this country is the powdery mildew, 

 wdiich is often found late in the season when the 

 plants are almost through blooming. The stems, 

 leaves, and other parts of the plant become covered 

 with the W'hite, powdery coating. The disease may 

 appear after a rain followed by very cold nights and 

 hot davs. 



ROSES 



Still in shape to supply hne 4" 

 pot plants of Mrs. Geo. Shawyer 

 and all standard varieties. 



CARNATIONS 



Field grown stock; ready July 15. 

 Write us for list and price 



CHAS. H. TOTTY 



MADISON, N. J. 



