506 LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. 



strongly, done if the planting is made in double rows. The 

 staking, or bushing, should be furnished when the plants are 

 three or four inches high, or immediately after the second 

 hoeing ; they should be of equal height, and all straggling 

 side twigs should be removed for appearance' sake. 



Early Crops. The earliest crops produced in the open 

 garden without artificial aid are obtained by judicious selec- 

 tion of the most approved early varieties, choosing a warm, 

 favorable soil and situation, and sowing the seed either in 

 November, just as the ground is closing, or in February or 

 March, at the first opening of the soil ; the latter season, 

 however, being preferable, as the seed then vegetates with 

 much greater certainty, and the crop is nearly or quite as 

 early. Great benefit will be derived from reflected heat, 

 when planted at the foot of a wall, building, or tight fence, 

 running east and west. It is necessary, however, when 

 warm sunshine follows cold, frosty nights, to shade the peas 

 from its influence an hour or two in the morning, or to 

 sprinkle them with cold water if they have been at all 

 frozen. 



They are sometimes covered with narrow glass frames of 

 a triangular form, and glazed on both sides, or on one only, 

 according as they may be used on rows running from north 

 to south, or from. east to west. In the latter case, such 

 frames may have glass in the south side only. 



Subsequent Cultivation. When the crop has attained the 

 height of about five inches, a little earth should be drawn 

 around the stems, but not so closely as to press upon them ; 

 it should form a sort of ridge, with a slight channel in the 

 middle. The intention here is not, as in many other cases, 

 to encourage the roots to diverge in a horizontal direction 

 (for they have no disposition to do so), but rather to give a 

 slight support to the plants until they take hold of the stakes 

 that are to support them. Those crops which are not to be 



