CHAPTER XXIV 

 CUT-BACK PLANTS 



OBSERVANT growers may have noticed how, after their 

 Sweet Peas have attained a certain height, they begin 

 to give evidence of deterioration, and, soon after, a 

 distinct falling off in the quality of the blooms becomes 

 noticeable. This condition of the plants is more often 

 seen when they are some six feet or rather more in height. 

 What to do with the Sweet Peas in these circumstances 

 is a matter of some concern, especially to the inex- 

 perienced grower, who naturally desires to maintain his 

 plants in good form and condition as long as possible. 

 Unless the plants be very strong, it will be advisable to 

 use the knife and cut back the growths in somewhat 

 drastic fashion. 



Plants in the condition above referred to continue to 

 grow away rather freely, but more especially the leading 

 shoots. These, however, are disposed to get unduly 

 woody, although their flowers show a great falling off in 

 quality notwithstanding. Lateral growths also exhibit 

 the same tendency, and no matter how much attention the 

 grower may devote to his plants in respect to watering 

 and feeding, etc., there appears to be little or no im- 

 provement in return. 



In these circumstances, there is only one thing to do, 

 and that is to cut away the growths to a point in the old 

 stem, where the laterals are breaking away freely. We 

 would not cut back the old growths to a point less than 

 three feet from the ground. The result of this treat- 



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