SWEET PEA GROWING 31 



while they are quite young, and applications of superphosphate, and 

 other artificial manures, will have greater effect upon both growth 

 and blooms. 



Sowing- Seeds Out of Doors. The soil is thoroughly pre- 

 pared and broken up, as advised, before the drills are made. These 

 should be drawn out from north to south; especially is this ad- 

 visable where many rows of Sweet Peas are grown, side by side. 



In clayey soils the seeds are covered only about 1| inches deep, 

 but in light, sandy soil an extra inch of covering soil may be put on. 

 In the sketch on p. 30 A A shows the normal level of the border soil, B 

 the shallow trench, and C the soil which has been manured and broken 

 up to a depth of nearly three feet. As shown in the sketch, the 

 seeds are sown in zigzag manner on the flat bottom of the drill 

 about nine inches apart each way. Now, this would be impossible 

 if the drill were not flat and wide. Very often the drill has a 

 narrow base, with the result that the young seedlings are over- 

 crowded and become weakly. Let every young plant have ample room 

 in which to grow. Sweet Peas' that are overcrowded throughout their 

 existence, only actually occupy a space a few inches across ; but those 

 with unlimited space in which to grow produce many sturdy side 

 shoots from the base upwards, and each side growth is stronger than 

 the main stem of the overcrowded plant. 



Some Sweet Pea Pests. If mice or rats are troublesome 

 roll the seeds in red lead while they are wet, then sow them as 

 advised. To prevent slugs eating the young shoots as they push 

 through the soil a layer of sifted ashes from a coal fire may be 

 put on. " Vaporite," or " Alphol," or "Kilogrub," used according to 

 instructions are also most useful. The sowing may be done any 

 time from February to April, but the middle of February is the best 

 time. 



Planting and Earthing Up. When Sweet Peas are raised < 

 in pots in the autumn, or early in the year and planted out in the 

 spring, there is always a tendency on the part of the inexperienced 

 to crowd them. For instance, there are probably at least three young 

 roots in each pot, and when they are turned out each clump is 

 generally planted about the same distance apart as is advised in 

 the case of single seeds when sowing these in rows or to form clumps. 

 The plants from pots should be put out quite fifteen inches apart 

 and in a zigzag manner in the shallow drill. But deep planting 

 is advisable ; that is to say the lower part of the stems of the plants 

 ought to be covered. After having been put out in this manner, as 



