SWEET PEA GROWING 33 



plants often produce a somewhat weakly main stem ; they are 

 especially liable to do so if they have insufficient fresh air while 

 in the greenhouse or frame. But near the base of the stem strong 

 side shoots commence to grow as shown at A A in the sketch below. 

 I have often noticed that these side shoots grow rapidly and soon 

 reach the same height as the central haulm B, but possess greater 

 strength than the latter. Now, if the plant is pinched off immediately 

 above the side shoots as shown at A, the lateral growths B B will 

 make still more satisfactory progress, and branch out freely also. 

 Of course it is not absolutely necessary to pinch off the main or 

 original stem, but I prefer to do so. 



Growing Sweet Peas in Fots. The young plants are grown 



PINCHING OB STOPPING THE YOUNG PLANTS. 



in small pots those 3^ inches in diameter in cool frames until 

 about the middle of January from seeds sown in September. Then 

 they are repotted, in pots ten inches across, and after the roots have 

 taken full possession of the soil it is advisable to feed liberally with 

 diluted manures. Use clean pots, and thoroughly drain them, but 

 place the crocks in carefully so as not to take up too much space 

 and thus unduly limit that required for soil. The soil mixture 

 should consist chiefly of good fibrous loam, to which leaf soil and 

 some well rotted manure are added in the proportion of one-third. 

 Near the bottom of each pot mix a little old mortar rubbish with 

 the soil as the latter is being put in, and three ounces of superphos- 

 phate of lime with every bushel of the soil. 



