ON SWEET PEAS 353 



With the aid of a little moss the stems can be fixed 

 in the mouth of the vase in such a way that the flowers 

 are displayed in a well-spread circle, each clear of its 

 neighbours. Crowding should be avoided. Stems 

 about fifteen inches long, carrying four large, fresh 

 flowers each, give the exhibitor his greatest chance of 

 success. Old, dingy flowers stand very little chance, 

 however large they may be. Freshness is so important 

 that the exhibitor must take pains in selecting and pack- 

 ing his sprays. He should select sprays of which some 

 flowers are only just opening, cut them the day before 

 the show, and stand them in water in a cool, shady 

 place till he is ready to pack them up. He should then 

 wrap them quite dry in soft paper and pack them firmly 

 in shallow boxes with nothing more than a little moist 

 paper round the base of the stalks. They will pass 

 several hours in the boxes quite safely, and open fresh 

 and clean when placed in water. If the show is near 

 they may be cut early on the same morning. The 

 exhibitor should make himself acquainted with the 

 rules by reading the regulations in the schedule, and 

 conform to them. He should place neat cards clearly 

 inscribed with the name of the variety in front of each 

 vase. How charming a flower the Sweet Pea is for 

 decoration, the vases and epergnes which the lady 

 exhibitors arrange at the shows prove conclusively. 



Enemies. Sweet Peas have no dangerous insect 

 enemy peculiar to themselves, and when they are given 

 suitable conditions they generally grow healthfully, but 

 slugs, wireworm, caterpillars, and various fungi assail 

 them at times. Freshly slaked dry lime, and lime 

 water, check slugs. Wireworm may be reduced to 

 impotence by dressing the ground with Vaporite, which, 

 however, must be placed well below the roots in spring, 



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