THE FARMER AT HOME. 323 



old, that is ten feet in circumference, and its branches extend sixty- 

 nine feet. In 1834, it yielded 184 bushels of fruit. The original 

 Harvard pear-tree is nine feet in circumference. And the late Mr. 

 S. W. Cole, author of the American Fruit Book, a work of great 

 merit, and of its size believed to be the best extant, had a wild pear- 

 tree that was over seven feet in circumference, and he stated that the 

 oldest inhabitants in its vicinity did not remember the time when it 

 was much smaller than at present. Our best pears sell at from ten 

 to fifteen dollars per barrel ; and from one to two dollars per dozen. 



PEA. The original locality of this hardy annual seems to be 

 unknown. It has been cultivated in India, China, and Japan, for 

 many centuries, and was introduced into this country at the time of 

 its first settlement. It probably went to Great Britain from Italy. 

 In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the most delicate varieties were 

 brought from Holland, and Fuller observes that they "were fit dain- 

 ties for ladies, they came so far, and cost so dear." At the present 

 day, the pea is very extensively diffused, and is well known as one of 

 the most important culinary plants. The varieties are numerous, 

 differing in stature, productiveness, the color of the flowers, and the 

 time of ripening. They are adapted to almost any dry soil ; yet they 

 will give a much better yield on rich land. Fresh manure is not 

 good for either peas or beans. They will bear a much heavier soil 

 than the bean, good clays being highly favorable to their growth. 

 For early table use in the family they are ordinarily raised in the 

 garden ; being sowed in. drills and furnished with small poles or brush, 

 so that they may occupy the least possible space, and be in a conve- 

 nient position for being picked. 



When wanted in larger quantities for families, to be used dry, or 

 for stock, they receive a field culture. The land designed for them 

 should be ploughed in the fall ; and they rnay be sown in the spring 

 immediately after the hard frosts, either in drills or broadcast. They 

 should be covered in the soil to the depth of about two inches. If in 

 drills, after they are up, a plough may be used to destroy the weeds. 

 Where the soil is adapted to them, and the seed takes well, broad- 

 cast sowing is equally efficient in preventing weeds, as their vigorous 

 growth effectually overshadows and keeps them under. The best 

 kind for field sowing is the grass-pea, and the marrow-fat for garden 

 culture. Earlier kinds should be selected in part for the garden. 

 When broadcast, from two to four bushels of seed to the acre is the 

 usual quantity used. In the garden, there should, in all parts of 

 the season, be successive sowings about once in two weeks. By this 

 means a family may be successively kept supplied for months ; or till 

 beans and other vegetables are grown. However, the hot weather 

 of mid-summer is unfavorable to the growth of peas. 



PEAT. This is a substance of vegetable origin, found wherever 

 the soil has been soaked with water which has 110 outlet, and does 



