136 



HORTICULTURE 



February 3, 1917 



Sweet Pea Notes 



If not already attended to, a start should now be made 

 in sowing sweet peas for next summer's flowering, and 

 where the very best results are desired the seed should 

 be sown in pots. Use 3^ or 4-inch pots, and a suitable 

 compost consists of turfy loam, leaf mold and a little 

 sand, all thoroughly mixed. Instead of troubling with 

 crooks I usually have a little of the roughest of the turf 

 placed in tlic bottom of the pot for drainage, afterwards 

 filling the pot to within 1^ inches of the top. Over this 

 is placed an inch layer of sharp sand into which the seed 

 is sunk half an inch ; the use of the sand being to pre- 

 vent the seed rotting ere germinating, as many seeds so 

 often do when sown in rougher soil. 



Four seeds will be ample for each pot. making all tiiiii 

 and labeling each variety as it is sown. The pots should 

 be placed in a comparatively cool greenhouse and \<e\)i 

 as near the light as possible so that growth will l)c 

 sturdy and dwarf. 



When the young vines are two or three inches in 

 lieight, the sujjport of a few twigs in the pots will hel|i 

 to keep them in an upright position, and encourage reg- 

 ular growth. 



After the first thorough soaking to settle soil and 

 seeds, great care should be taken not to overdo the suh- 

 sequent waterings. If the plants liave been grown (|uit(' 

 cool they may be removed to cold frames when twd 

 inches or so in height, but care must be taken to carefully 

 cover the sash for the first few niglits after removal from 



Yabrawa. 



greenhouse, or until they get perfectly hardened. Give 

 air on all favorable occasions, and some time in March, 

 according to weather conditions, the sash may be kept 

 otf entirely. 



As a perfect root system is necesrary for the develop- 

 ment of good flowers, and to insure a long flowering 

 period, the plants should be set out just as early in the 

 spring as weather conditions will allow, and if they have 

 been properly hardened off a few degi'ees of frost will 

 not hurt them in the least. 



Just a word as to varieties. If growing primarily for 

 cutting purposes use Nora Unwin as a white, Elfrida 

 Pearson or Lady Evelyn Eyre, light pinks; Hercules, 

 rich rose-pink ; Constance Oliver or Margaret Atlee for 

 ileep cream-pink; Mrs. Routzahn for light cream-pink; 

 Wedgwood, blue; Margaret Madison, lavender-blue; 

 Orchid and Florence Nightingale, lavender; King 

 l'"(lward Spencer, crimson : Rosabelle and George Her- 

 licrt, shades of rose. 



It might also be well to make a good sowing of 

 Varrawa as this fine early or winter flowering variety 

 will Ijegin to flower at least two weeks earlier than the 

 first named sorts, while it will continue to bloom as long 

 as what are known as the summer-flowering varieties. 



Then the sweet pea lover must also have such inval- 

 uable sorts as Royal Purple, Fiery Cross, Constance Hin- 

 ton. King White. Floradale, Fairy, The President,. 

 Cherub, Mrs. Cuthbertson and Wedgwood. 



Margaeet Atlee. 



