for July, 1922 



203 



rieties have a mean habit of going bhnd when in a high 

 state of cultivation, and if the laterals are all removed, 

 there is an end of the plant. This often happens after a 

 hot spell. 



When the plants are well in flower, it is good to start 

 feeding, the condition of the plants being the best guide. 

 The first sign of smaller leaf or flower is the feeding sign. 

 Liquid made from cow or sheep manure and applied in 

 a weak state is very beneficial. I apply it by making a 

 shallow trench six inches away from the plants and one 

 along the center of the double row. This trench is filled 

 with the solution and when it has disappeared, the earth 

 is returned to its place. Once a week for an application 

 is often enough at the beginning, but if the"*vines are 

 grow-ing fast, twice a week is permissible after the feed- 

 ing has become regular. The diet may be changed to 

 advantage, using some good standard fertilizer, such as 

 Clay's, Mackereth's, etc. A good drink of superphosphate 

 is always of benefit, but do not let your enthusiasm get 

 the better of you in the way of feeding, especially if the 

 vines are not over strong. Good strong, thrifty vines 

 can stand a lot of feeding in favorable weather, provid- 

 ing the same is applied with common sense. 



When the hot weather arrives, a mulch of coarse ma- 

 terial is very beneficial. Decayed leaves or very old 

 manure answers the purpose ; at any rate, the mulch must 

 be some medium that will not mat down and close the 

 pores of the soil and cut olif the air. 



Ever)- catalog describes the latest varieties of sweet 

 peas as all producing four flovi^ers to a stem, sometimes 

 more. Sometimes they do : sometimes they don't. There 



are times when well- 



grown plants are full 

 of four-flowered 

 sprays, and often five 

 and six, and there 

 are other times when 

 the same plants are full 

 of t h r e e-fl o w e r e d 

 sprays and often two. 

 The cause of this is that 

 the plants have been 

 overtaxed from bearing 

 flowers or intense heat. 

 An exhibitor who finds 

 himself in the predica- 

 ment of having only 

 two or three flowers on 

 a stem on the morning 

 of the exhibition would 

 be ver)' fortunate if he 

 gained a place in the 

 first three. This condi- 

 tion can be overcome 

 partly in normal wea- 

 ther by careful feeding, 

 and partly by the 

 method I shall now 

 explain. 



Some ten or fourteen 

 days before we require 

 a lot of good flowers. 

 we remove from the 

 vines all the flower 

 stems that are more 

 than an inch long. If 

 the flower stems that 

 appear next grow so 

 rapidly that they will 

 be over before the day 

 of the show we also 



remove these, the object being, of course, to have a 

 new crop of fresh flowers just on time. In very warm 

 weather a flower stem will advance from one inch long 

 to full flower in five days. In cool weather they take 

 twice as long. This is a trick that calls for good judg- 

 ment founded on keen observation. 



The worst enemies that we have to contend with are 

 aphis and mildew. At Park Ridge the sparrows keep 

 our vines quite free from the aphis, and we allow them to 

 take a few flower buds in return for their service. If you 

 must kill off the sparrows, then you must also kill ofl: the 

 aphis, or the aphis will kill the vines. A good nicotine 

 preparation is the best aphis killer. 



Mildew often follows a bad change in tanperature, and 

 at its first appearance, I get a quart of ammonia (--% 

 strength) and one ounce of carbonate copper. W'hen the 

 copper is dissolved, we dilute nine gallons and spray thor- 

 oughly. This solution is also good for culinary peas. 



Flow-ers for exhibition should be cut when they are dry. 

 If it is necessary to cut while wet, shake the moisture olif 

 and arrange loosely in vases in a cool, airy room. The 

 white, picotee and pale pinks are best if cut twenty-four 

 hours before the time of showing, but the reds, purples 

 and deep pinks are most fresh when cut on the morning 

 of the show and stood a few hours in water. In arrang- 

 ing a stand, always avoid strong contrasts in colors, and 

 place the taller flowers to the rear. A vase or two of 

 the dark varieties in purple and maroon always add 

 to the appearance of an exhibit, as these colors seem 

 to add weight, especiallv if they are placed at the back 

 corners. 



Standing on the rustic bridge, in front of the -watcrlalls at the Great Exhibition of Ferns and Wild 

 Flo'vers, held during May at Horticultural Half. Boston, are (left to right) Mr. A. C. Burrage, Pres. 

 Mass. Horticultural Society; Mrs. Richard Saltonslall. Mrs. Bayard Thayer and Prof. C. S. Sargent, 

 of the Arnold Arboretum. 



