Seed Growing 



between the rows is constantly cultivated and 

 hoed until the plants meet in the drills, which 

 is usually in April. The plants make great 

 growth from three to five feet in height, and 

 they branch out so vigorously that every inch 

 of the ground is covered : a field of Sweet Peas 

 in May and June might be compared to a 

 fine field of wheat in this country just before 

 harvest as well filled up and as level in appear- 

 ance, and it is quite common to see ten to twenty 

 acres of one variety. Under such conditions 

 one can imagine the process of " rogueing " to 

 be a difficult one, and the Californian growers 

 have found it so, but on the up-to-date ranches 

 like Morse's the work of " rogueing " is now 

 reduced to the minimum on account of the greatest 

 care being exercised to obtain specially pure stock 

 seed. This is grown apart and worked up from 

 true types of all the test varieties. 



The plants remain in bloom in normal seasons 

 from the end of April to mid- June. The harvest 

 is usually ready in July, and the vast areas are 

 cut with mowers and the crops piled on huge 

 canvas sheets, where they remain in that perfect 

 climate until they are threshed. A motor thresh- 

 ing machine is drawn alongside and the work 

 performed. The yield ranges in good seasons 



75 



