28 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULT0EE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. 



[ July 14, 1863. 



digging-spud is unquestionably the best tool he can have ; 

 and since most ironmongers keep them, it is easy to obtain 

 them anywhere. ■ -.l v. 



Some other forms of the articles above named might be 

 mentioned, but I do not consider it neoe^Hary. We wUl, 

 therefore, at once proceed to the implement wliich gives a 

 name to all the usual modea of hand-tillage— the Spade ; 

 and though great diversity once did exist in this useful tool, 

 there is certainly less variety now than of yore. A know- 

 ledge of the coiTOct modes by which power can be applied 

 to the best advantage has led to the abandonment of un- 

 suitable articles ; while the greater attention paid to the 

 manufacture has caused considerable improvement, not so 

 much in the shape as in the quality of the implement. It 

 may be had of all sizes that may tie wanted. Some little 

 peculiaa-ities to suit the customs of certain districts exist ; 

 but in general these are not important, and the names of 

 some of the best makers may be favourites in districts hun- 

 di-eds of miles apart. 



In the northern counties the spade is in more general 

 repute than any of the species of fork with which we are 

 acquainted, yetit is difficult to account for this. There is 

 plenty of stiff land there, but custom has established the 

 spade, and time alone wUl a.s-sert the claims of the fork if 

 it be superior. For many purposes, however, the spade is 

 indispensable. In digging up turfy land, casting out furrows, 

 or di-aining, the fork is powerless : but for draining or exca- 

 vating operations there are other tools than the spade. One 

 locally caUed the graft — in same respects Mfce a spade, but 

 the two sides curved in spout fashion — is a very handy tool 

 for excavating in stiff ground, the load it lifts not being so 

 likely to drop on its way to the cart or elsewhere as from 

 the ordinary spade ; but as the present article was to be 

 confined to tools adapted for tiBage purposes only, such 

 tools need not be adverted to, as the graft is certainly in- 

 ferior to the spade for that piirijose. 



As to the best makers of spades there are many different 

 opinions. Lyndon's a.re in most repute here. In these the 

 blade or edge seems to be of good steel, the handle-socket 

 long, and there are side-straps to prevent it w-earing at the 

 neck (many other makes also have this), and the top cross- 

 handle has a rivet through it to prevent its breaking as 

 many do that are subjected to severe work. Working men, 

 however, have all then- especial favourites, and doubtless 

 they are the best judges, especially after they have had trial 

 of others. Certainly no artich; deserves greater attention on 

 the part of the maker than the spade ; and although price 

 very often indicates quality, I by no means wish it to be 

 infeiTed that a low-priced one is cheap. On the contrary, 

 a well-made spade is easier to work with th,an an inferior 

 one, and often lasts double the time, independent of the 

 greater pleasirre and comfort there is in using it. We iind, 

 however, that, usefid as the spade may be — and there seems 

 no reason to doubt of its continuing so with all the appli- 

 ances of machinery and oth>ir inventions — there is never- 

 theless a limit to its use as well as that of all other things. 

 Other tools require attention also : and leaving the further 

 prosecution of hand-tillage to other parties, a few notes on 

 various implements in general use may be given in future 

 articles. j. Kobson. 



PEAS, AND HOW TO G]10W THEM. 



(Conclud.ed from page 4fi7.) 



2nd. In Modebatk-sizedGakdens.— In some places there 

 is the convenience of a sorith wall. Under it, on the 

 southern side, you can have Lettuces ohinted to come in 

 after the Endive is done, ar.d a row of Peas about 4 feet 

 from the wall in a parallel line to it, without iujuring the 

 Apricot and Peach trees on the wall. Peas in this position 

 idiould be so\ra on November cho 10th, and from this parallel 

 Irae let fall in December some perpendicular drUls ;f feet 

 apart, and sow in them Sangster's No. 1, Dillistone'a Early 

 Prolific being sown in tha paraUel. A few spruce branches 

 wdl save these from the nipping east winds if stuck on one 

 Ride of them. In open weather another sowing may be made 

 m^ February, and on the Ist of March a sowing of V»'arwick 

 (Eoi'ly Frame, or whatever eUe the soetlsmen plea-^ic to ca.U 

 if), and Early Green Blavrow. Whenever the first -rop of 



Marrows is sown it must be done at the same time that the 

 last crop of earlies is sown. This is to provide for a succes- 

 sion. For successional crops the annexed table may be 

 referred to. 



After the first sowings are accommodate*! with warm 

 sunny sites the main crops will do better in the opea 

 quarters. 



Of late, planting Peas amongst other crops has been ad- 

 vocated. I am persuaded this is erroneous. I cannot tell 

 what space is saved, nor see any better crops accrue, nor yet 

 any crop that likes smothering between Pea-rows. I object 

 to making Beet, Potatoes, and other root crops subservient 

 to Peas. Suppose we sow Peas in rows 12 feet instead of 

 6 feet apart, and take a crop of Beet between, the Peas will 

 take up 3 feet of the space, and of the remaining 9 feet fully 

 6 feet will not have any sun until ten o'cjock, and none after 

 three o'clock, so that there are but 3 feet'left fully exposed to 

 the sun's rays, and instead of its being^ saving it is a loss 

 of 6 feet. The Peas will be better for this extra apiu^e I 

 a<lmit — they will bejir better if gales keep away ; but when 

 they are growing at wide distances they are more liable txi 

 be broken in a gale, and the few extra Peas gained do 

 not compensate for the waste of ground. A gardener with 

 a row of Peas here and another there will find himself in the 

 same predicament as he that fills hi? garden with fi'uit trees 

 and expects to grow vegetables under them. The height 

 which any viiriety of Pea attains is ample tlistance between 

 the rows of that variety, and the shade they aSbrd to Celery 

 during the hot dry months of .July and August is beneficial 

 rather than detrimental. Shade retains moisture in the soil, 

 and that is a point worth courting in Celery-cidture, espe- 

 cially where there are not those who can be always running 

 about with the watering-pot. 



Sandy or light soils do not afford good Peas in dry weather, 

 and the Peas grown there are more liable to mildew, and are 

 not half 30 sweet as those grown on richer soU — in fact, they 

 are more like the bullet-bke Peas bought in the market than 

 fresh-gathered home-grown Peas. To obviate this sow on a, 

 manured trench similar to Celery, and give a drenching — 

 dribblings are injiu'ious — of weak liquid manure once or 

 twice a-week, according to the weather. If it be wanned to 

 80° orilO" it wUl be the better; but if taken out of the tank 

 where it has been diluted with spring water at a tempera- 

 ture of 50" it will check rather than forwai'd the crop. 



A row of Peas 20 yards long will afford from six to twelve 

 pecks of Peas, and successional rows of that length sown 

 every ten days will insure a supply for a family ffom June 

 to November. 



Srd. In Lakge Gakdens. — South walls are here with 

 frames, and glass houses without number. A row of Tom 

 Thumb, Beck's Gem, or any other name you please (we 

 want a sweeping-out of names, and a shorter nomenclature), 

 sown along a south v/aU, and about a foot from it, about the 

 16th of October, will outstrip those sown anywhere else; 

 and if a few spruce branches are stuck in front of them in 

 severe weather, and the wall protected by nets. Peas may 

 be had in May. The late Mr. Smithers, gardener to the late 

 Sir Wm. Milner, Bart, and his father, for fifty-four years, of 

 Nun Appleton, Tadcaster, informed me that he once gathered 

 the Early May on the 13th of May, and in looking over his 

 note-book I found a confirmation of the fact. To this old 

 gardener I am indel^ted for much information ; and his ob- 

 servations, extending as they did over half a centui'y, gave 

 one a,n insight into gardening matters from 1797 with cer- 

 tainty. I only regret not making more copious extracts. 



I shall not say more .about Peas in large gardens except 

 a few notes on gi'owing them in frames, houses, and pots. 



Peas, where there is every modern appliance, can be had 

 pretty nearly all the year. Tom Thumb is the best for pots. 

 Eclipse and Sangster's No. 1 for frames .and sowing in 

 houses. The Pea is impatient of fire heat. A temperature 

 of 40" at the beginning is hot enough, and a mean of 4,5° 

 should not bo exceeded until the Pea.o are in flower, when 

 the temperature may be increased to 50°. They require 

 abundance of light — cannot, in fact, have too much — and a 

 current of air blowing on them continually. 



To have Peas on New Yeai''s-day a pit with a hot-water 

 pipe or two is .almost necessaiy, though they can be had in 

 pots. When grouse arrive for table (12th of August), it is 

 high time to sow a couple oi rows of Peas in a six-foot pit : 



