230 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



Soils and Situations for the Pea. The pea succeeds on a wide 

 variety of soils a good, rich loam of sufficient retentiveness being 

 the ideal. Where it is winter-grown, with moderate heat and am- 

 ple moisture, lighter soils can be successfully used, because they 

 are warmer and dispose of the surplus water more readily. Though 

 the pea withstands much frost, it needs warmth for rapid advance- 

 ment, and for this reason the earliest peas, as, for example, peas 

 for Christmas from September sowing, are grown where there is 

 little frost, and hillsides are often used to escape the heavier frosts 

 of the valley below. In moist bottom lands in the interior, and on 

 uplands near the coast, peas naturally thrive much later in the sea- 

 son than on the interior plains and hillsides, and the latest green 

 peas are grown in the moist lands of the coast valleys, moisture 

 being retained by cultivation or supplied by irrigation, according to 

 local conditions. By using these different situations green peas are 

 available for city trade nearly the entire year. 



Culture. From what has been said it may be inferred that 

 the pea at different times of the year is to be handled with all the 

 arts for releasing or retaining moisture, which are described in the 

 chapters on the planting season, drainage and cultivation. The 

 reader should study these, and choose the methods adapted to the 

 soil and time of the year with which he expects to operate. Depth 

 of planting is also governed by these factors, as described in the 

 chapter on propagation. The pea will thrive with deep covering, 

 according to the soil and moisture even to covering the seed in a 

 plow furrow in a light soil but in a heavier soil, with assurance of 

 moisture, a single inch of depth may best favor its growth. Deep 

 working of the soil is also, as a rule, acceptable to the pea and where 

 the crop is to come late and to endure a measure of heat and 

 drought, deep working in preparation and fine surface cultivation, 

 as late as feasible without injury to the vines, is necessary. But, on 

 the other hand, for fall and winter growth in some situations and 

 soils, such thorough work may not be called for. For winter work, 

 too, it is not desirable that the surface should be worked to a fine 

 mulch; surplus water is relieved by evaporation and the surface is 

 prevented from crusting, if a coarser condition is retained. The 

 pea plant gives every possible advantage to the grower; it is strong 

 growing and hardy, and it has a large seed which makes a vigorous 

 shoot. If the grower can give it escape from dry heat it will serve 

 him well both in garden and field. 



It should be remembered, however, that the pea needs a cer- 

 tain amount of heat, though it be small, and there is nothing gained 

 by sowing in cold, wet ground. In small, frosty valleys with heavy 

 rainfall sowing should often be delayed until the ground is warmed 

 in February, though on slopes above such valleys much earlier work 

 can often be done satisfactorily. The fitness of certain varieties 

 for seasonal conditions will be considered presently. 



