IRISH GARDENING. 



35 



intu position, tilling the gaps at the hottom by 

 light, short feathery sticks to enable the young 

 peas to cling their tendrils and clinib into the 

 higher sticks. Hazel or beech make good sticks. 

 Ivu'li variety should have the probable height 

 marked on the label so as to avoid confusion 

 in sticking, and it is better to place a stick too 

 long than one too short. 



As the season advances the trenches for 

 sowing should be made deeper. This will allow 

 of either waterings, or manure or soil mulch- 

 ings to be applied in the event of very hot, dry 

 weather, and then the grower will learn h(jw 

 much good these surface operations can do. 



The final sowings may be made in the end 

 of June or beginning of July, no guarantee can 

 be given as to their coming into crop as the 

 elements have a greater control than the grower 

 during the autumn months, still u late sowing 

 often repays the trouble taken. It is, therefore, 

 worth while to make a trench about 18 inches 

 wide and similar to a celery trench, only not 

 so rich. 



Sow thinly, and cover as in maincrop, en- 

 courage the sturdy growth, and if a dry ])eriod 

 should come, water freely. This will in all 

 probability enable the plants to carry on to 

 the fruiting stage, and if the weather be kind 

 it is no unusual thing to have dishes of peas 

 in November. 



The pests inseparable from pea growing are : 

 the rat, the mouse, sltig, the sparrow 

 and jackdaw. Means can be found to sicken 

 the slug by dustings of soot or lime in the 

 evenings ; a shot gun tired now and again 

 amongst the feathered pests will keep them off ; 

 or cotton thread sti'ung from sticks up and 

 down and across the lines with quill feathers 

 or bright pieces of tin attached to the strands 

 acts as a scare to the birds ; whilst rats and 

 mice may be deterred from eating the seeds 

 by spraying a little paraffin oil over them, and 

 coating the whole with red lead before sowing. 

 This is easily done by rotating the peas in an 

 old tin while dusting the red lead on. A pre- 

 paration called Horticol is also invaluable for 

 such dressings; all seedsmen stock it. 



The insect pests are the Pea Weevil (Bruchus 

 [lisij, the Pea siphon-aphis (Siphonojjhora pisi), 

 and the moth Plusia, all of these are harmful, 

 and there is no royal road to their extermina- 

 tion or prevention, but luckily their depreda- 

 tions are not general, a dusting of vaporite, 

 soot or other obnoxious substance certainly 

 makes them shy of making inroads, and such 

 dustings should be carefully administ(5red. If 

 a])liis attacks the shoots severely, a syringing 

 of soap water will clear them. 



The selection of varieties is a perplexing point 

 to the- amateur or novice. Far too manv names 



are given in all garden catalogues, and every 

 seedsman has his own special varieties. To 

 make a selection is an mvidious task, but 1 

 will mention a iew standard varieties well 

 worih growing when good strains arc to be 

 had. 



Earlys : — Laxlon's Superb, Early ^lultiple, 

 the Pilot, Thomas Laxton, American Wonder, 

 oi Little Marvel. 



Second Early : — Daisy, Senator, Duke of 

 Albany, Sharpe's Queen, Royal Salute. 



General or late Crop: — Gladstone, Autocrat, 

 llearguard. 



Although the above-named sorts are not re- 

 connxiended in an arbitrary spirit they are 

 fairly representative of this race. In addition 

 to these there are two giant varieties \vliich 1 

 have grown with some pleasure: they are 

 Quite Content and V.C. ; both are fine marrow- 

 fats with very large well-filled pods, of striking 

 appearance when well grown. The greatest 

 drawback to their being grown by amateurs is 

 tiie length of stick they require. This will ])ro- 

 bably be the determining factor in chosing 

 varieties, as the dwarf sorts need so little in 

 tliat respect, and are likely to be of more value 

 to the plotholder. If, however, tall varieties 

 are grown, and sticks prove scarce, v. ire net- 

 ting or old fish netting hung on posts makes a 

 very fair substitute, and at a pinch bamboo 

 canes with string attached makes a good fence 

 to which the growths can be tied. 



Whatever variety is grown, and whatever 

 sort of stake is used, appearance must take 

 second place to good culture, and every dry 

 seed should be saved for next winter's food 

 supply. 



Iris WiLLjiorxi-i:. 



