98 GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES 



should bring the top of the trench to within two inches 

 of the surface of the surrounding ground. 



Peas do not thrive if the roots are allowed to become 

 dry ; therefore, earth up the stems, use the hoe along 

 the trenches and, in extreme cases, place pads of wet- 

 mown grass around the roots, but change these before 

 they decay. A mulching of long strawy manure, placed 

 in the trenches, will considerably assist good growth. 



Birds are often a great trial to growers of peas. Not 

 only do they snip ofi tjbe young shoots and flowers, but 

 they dig up the seeds and devour them. Protect the 

 seeds by threading cotton along the rows and place 

 netting over the climbing plants. When slugs become 

 active search for them at night with a lantern and dust 

 the rows with lime. 



Stake the seedlings as early as possible, certainly before 

 they have commenced to climb or crawl, otherwise they 

 will be difficult to train. Bushy stakes are better than 

 canes or lengths of string. 



Two other points must be noted. (1) Sow a little 

 reserve bed of peas. Some of the seedlings raised in it 

 may be useful for transplanting to the trenches in spaces 

 where the original seeds have failed. (2) Commence 

 gathering as soon as the pods become plump. Failure 

 to do this will arrest the growth of the oncoming 

 crop. 



It may be well to point out ; in conclusion, that the 

 edible pea not only produces valuable food, but is also 

 highly ornamental and might well be grown in place of 

 the sweet pea during these times of stress. A judicious 

 blending of the white and red flowering varieties will 

 provide a hedge or screen of much artistic merit. 



