PEAS 57 



We now come to the first sowing in the open, say in 

 February, if the land is not frost-bound or too wet. 

 It will have been advisable roughly to ridge up land 

 in which it is intended to sow the first crop in the open. 

 If this is done in the autumn the soil is so much more 

 workable, and sowing can be made earlier than in land 

 in a wet condition. For this crop I do not think the 

 land needs the same quantities of food as for later crops, 

 indeed, in wet land there is a danger of marrow peas 

 failing to germinate unless the soil is friable, and heavy 

 bodies of wet manure add to the difficulty at the season 

 named. I have found that, in the case of dwarf varieties, 

 we get the best results, if the soil is poor, by taking 

 out a few inches deep and replacing with old hotbed, 

 decayed leaf soil, or burnt refuse, so that there may be 

 some good soil for the roots to push out into and root 

 freely. Early in the season, the wrinkled sorts may be 

 sown a little thicker than others, as the best peas are not 

 so robust as the round. On the other hand, at later 

 sowings the large growers, I do not mean tall but strong 

 haulm kinds, need more room. I have seen Peas sown 

 like Mustard and Cress, but it stands to reason that such 

 crops cannot develop properly. I have named a few of 

 the leading early kinds ; to these may be added Early 

 Giant, a splendid three to four feet variety, probably 

 the finest pea we have for March sowing in light, 

 warm soil, and remarkably early. Much the same 

 remarks apply to May Queen, a slightly dwarfer variety, 

 and of splendid flavour. I have before referred to 

 Bountiful, and this variety can be sown where others 

 fail. This is a blue-seeded variety, a very free bearer, 

 and, like most of the varieties I have described above, 

 a continuous cropper. This latter point should not be 

 overlooked in garden peas, as any variety that is over 

 in a few days is not valuable. For field culture, the 

 crop maturing quickly at one time is a gain, but not so 



