SWEET PEAS UP TO DATE 



thrifty row, allowing the air and light to circulate 

 freely among the growing vines, giving more room to 

 the gross feeding and deep searching roots, the natural 

 results being larger flowers, longer stems, better color, 

 and more flowers. As the young vines grow, the soil 

 should be hoed up to them on either side, thus strength- 

 ening the plants and keeping them in an upright posi- 

 tion, while the slight trench thus made on either side of 

 the row is of great benefit when watering the plants dur- 

 ing a dry spell, or, on the other hand, it acts as a natural 

 drain in carrying off the superfluous moisture during a 

 very wet period. The rows should be staked now, as 

 it is of great importance that the young vines be sup- 

 ported from their earliest stage, but this will be dealt 

 with in a subsequent paragraph. 



FALL SOWING 



While we are on the subject of sowing, it would be in- 

 complete were we not ,to mention Fall sowing. For 

 early bloom Fall or Autumn sowing is to be recom- 

 mended if your location is suitable. This method 

 is largely carried out in many parts of England with 

 best results. In the Southern States this operation 

 may be done towards the end of September and during 

 October, while for this locality (Philadelphia) we have 

 proved that November and early December sowings 

 give the most satisfactory results. Our experiments at 

 FORDHOOK FARMS have shown that Sweet Peas sown in 

 early October made growth about three inches tall 

 before severe weather set in, and that subsequently the 

 plants were frozen out, while seed sown in November 

 and early December just started to germinate before 

 frost, and as there were no top growths to freeze, with- 



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