38 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Pea continued. 



time the produce is fit for gathering. Still, a few days 

 are then generally considered of great importance. 

 Where space and plenty of 4in. pots are available, 

 .it is a tolerably common practice to sow under glass 

 early in February, with the intention of transplanting 

 outside in March. Half-fill the pots with any fairly 

 rich soil, scatter from eight to twelve seeds over the 

 surface, then fill up with soil, and stand the pots in a 

 cold frame, where air may be admitted on all favourable 

 occasions. Treated in this way, the plants become 

 much sturdier than when artificial heat is applied, and 

 may be eventually planted out with a far greater chance 

 of success. Favourable weather should be selected for 

 transferring them outside, and, in planting, the balls 

 may be inserted intact, or gently pulled in halves, and 

 the latter planted separately. A warm position is 

 necessary for Peas thus started at the commencement ; 

 earthing-up and protection are also essential so soon as 

 they are planted out. Young seedling Peas transplant 

 readily; consequently, it is advisable to fill up blanks, 

 and make rows good, so far as the stock at command 

 admits. 



Succesaional and Main Crops. Once the supply of 

 green Peas is commenced, it is most important that it 

 should be kept up so far as possible. To this end, 

 varieties, differing in height and description, and suc- 

 cessional sowings, must, collectively, be made to con- 

 tribute. Successional sowings of one sort during the two 

 first months of the year and part of March will, as a 

 rule, vary but little in the time of bearing, whereas if 

 three or four sorts, varying in height and other par- 

 ticulars, are sown at the same time, a succession in bear- 

 ing is more likely to be assured. From the end of 

 March until June, sowings for main crops should be 

 made at intervals of about three weeks, according to 

 locality, and other circumstances not under control. Some 

 make a sort of rule to sow again when the previous 

 sowing is just appearing above ground; but this is not 

 always a certain guide, as the weather would have a 

 variable effect in different seasons and localities. For 

 successional and main crop Peas, a position in one of 

 the best parts of the garden quarters should be reserved, 

 and the ground previously prepared, if unfit for their 

 requirements. The drills for these should proceed in a 

 direction from north to south. When earthing-up, the 

 soil should be drawn just up to the plants, and left in 

 a ridge on either side, with a view to retaining all rain 

 or other water, instead of allowing any to run off. 



Late Crops. To continue the succession into autumn, 

 and maintain a supply, is not always an easy matter; 

 still, it is very important that every attempt at doing 

 so should be made. Strong-growing, tall and dwarf 

 Marrow Peas are best suited for the purpose ; and the 

 trench system, with manure placed beneath, in the way 

 already described, is the best method of cultivation. 

 The great cause of failure is mildew on the plants, and 

 this may be considerably prevented by providing a good 

 depth of soil, and plenty of moisture beneath, where the 

 roots penetrate. A mulching of rotten manure is of 

 material help in preventing evaporation ; it should be 

 about Sin. deep, and laid on the surface for 1ft. or 

 more on each side of the rows. In favoured localities, 

 sowings for late crops may be made from the middle 

 till the end of June ; but, in northern parts, the beginning 

 of June is sufficiently late for allowing the plants to 

 blossom and bear anything like a crop. Some cultivators 

 sow second early sorts late in the season, because of the 

 likelihood of their turning in more quickly; but the 

 plants lack the strength of late kinds, and the produce 

 is also much inferior in quality. Tall sorts, grown late, 

 should bo stopped when about 4ft. high, in order to 

 promote frnitfulness at an earlier stage than would be 

 likely under ordinary circumstances. A sowing of late 



Pea continued. 



sorts should also be made, first in April, and secondly 

 in May. 



All Peas are benefited by an occasional dressing of 

 soot and a little lime on the surface, previous to and at 

 the time when they are pushing through the ground. It 

 tends greatly to ward off slugs, and is by no means 

 agreeable to birds and mice. Should watering become 

 necessary in summer, a thorough soaking should be 

 given, and this applied at too late a stage is but of 

 little use. When gathering Peas for use, only such as 

 are fit should be selected, the whole stock of one sort 

 being looked over each time, in preference to picking a 

 portion severely, and leaving others alone possibly to 

 become too old. Pea-sticks should be as strong and thin 

 in proportion as may be procurable, and used at about 

 the heights different sorts are calculated to reach. They 

 should be firmly inserted in a slanting direction, the set 



FIG. 41. GARDEN VARIETY OF PEA (Pisum sativum), with Flowers 

 and Pods in different stages of development. 



on one side pointing in an opposite direction to the 

 other, yet at about the same angle. The leaf-tendrils 

 clasp and retain a firmer hold on sticks thus arranged 

 than they do on others inserted vertically. A few small 

 branches near the base are instrumental in assisting the 

 plants to commence climbing. 



SOBTS. Varieties of Peas are become exceedingly 

 numerous, and several new ones are still annually put 

 into commerce. Few vegetables have been so greatly 

 improved during the last few years as Peas, particularly 

 in the direction of introducing the superior-flavoured 

 Marrows amongst the earlier sorts that were originally 

 all small and round-seeded. There are different methods 

 adopted for arranging Peas in classes for reference and 

 distinction. Formerly, the smooth or round-seeded 

 kinds were far more numerous than those with wrinkled 

 seeds; now they are nearly equally represented. White, 



