THE PEA. 617 



melons, &c. Rendle's Plant Protectors, composed of tall sides and 

 glass tops, will supersede most other expedients for protecting or 

 forcing peas in the open ground. 



The Summer and Autumn Crops. The first sowing may be made in 

 the middle of March, and where peas are in demand, which they are 

 in almost every family, a sowing may be made every three weeks, till 

 the 1st of August. Those sown in the latter period will not produce 

 a crop unless the autumn is fine ; but if this should be the case, peas 

 may be gathered till December. For the latest as well as the earliest 

 crops, the earliest varieties should be chosen. They should also be 

 sown on light warm ground if possible, so as to encourage podding 

 rather than growth. For the general crops, the ground can hardly be 

 too rich and dark. Early and late peas are also grown in some gar- 

 dens in pots. Such excellent marrows as McLean's Little Gem, or 

 Advancer, and other early dwarfs such as Bishop's and Tom Thumb, 

 might be sown in the first week in September, placed under glass in 

 October, and brought on in any house with a temperature of 50 

 throughout the autumn and winter. Successional crops of dwarfs 

 might be sown in pots or boxes like French beans, and green peas be 

 gathered throughout the year. The chief point is to keep them close 

 to the glass, and maintain a temperature of from 50 to 60. (See Forc- 

 ing the Pea.) In sowing during summer when the ground is very 

 dry, after being dug and the drills drawn, the bottom of the drill 

 ought to be thoroughly soaked with water before the peas are sown, 

 and firmly rolled after they are covered ; and throughout the whole 

 summer, whenever there is a continuance of drought, water ought to 

 be liberally supplied. All the late crops ought to be sown in the driest 

 soil which the garden affords, in an open, airy situation, and sticked ; 

 the last operation being essential to prevent the plants of the late crops 

 from rotting ; and as a preventive against this and mildew, the seeds 

 should not be sown too thickly. 



Gathering. The rows should be looked over daily, and all those 

 pods gathered that are sufficiently advanced ; for if a single pod on a 

 stem is allowed to remain so long as to begin to ripen, the production 

 of young pods will, in a great measure, cease ; whereas if they are 

 gathered as fast as the peas are produced of an eatable size, the plants 

 will continue to grow and to produce pods much longer than 

 they otherwise would do. The same doctrine applies to cucum- 

 bers, kidney-beans, and all cases where fruit is gathered before it is 

 ripe. 



Diseases, Vermin, <kc. The mildew may in general be prevented by 

 abundant waterings, which indeed is a preventive to both diseases and 

 insects. Birds attack peas when they appear above ground early in 

 spring, eating out the growing point; and again when the pods are 

 beginning to ripen, and may be scared by some of the usual means. 

 Mice are very apt to eat the peas when newly sown, to prevent which 

 some sow chopped furze along with them ; others rub the peas with 

 powdered resin, and some cover the drills with a layer of clean, 

 sharp sand, which it is alleged drops into the ears of the mice while 



