46 VEGECUtTURE 



heavy manuring, moisture, and good cultivation are essentials 

 with all members of this wonderful family ; and it is the pro- 

 portional extent in which these necessities are given that deter- 

 mines the weight of the crop. Bone-meal, superphosphate, 

 soot, and good liquid manure are excellent fertilizers for legumes. 



PEAS are most nutritious vegetables, and to grow them to 

 anything like perfection needs strenuous work in the preparation 

 of soil. It will be found quite impossible to grow large pods 

 full of rich, green Peas, by just digging the soil over one foot 

 deep. The ground must be trenched quite two feet, and if 

 the soil is not of sufficient depth, it will be better to take out 

 a trench and dispose of the bottom spit, putting in its place 

 something of a better nature. Old garden refuse, such as 

 rotted vegetable leaves, well dressed with lime, soot, etc., will 

 be found admirable to mix with this bottom spit. Then the 

 good soil originally taken from the top can be put in its proper 

 position, adding well-decayed manure as the filling up proceeds. 

 This completed, a sprinkling of soot should be well worked into 

 the surface soil, with which a little superphosphate can be mixed 

 with advantage. Remember to sow very thinly in the case of 

 the giant podded sorts, for they develop plants five or six feet 

 high. When the plants are up a few inches they should be 

 earthed up, pushing the soil well among them with the hands. 

 Then staking should follow, using good ash or hazel boughs. 

 If the weather is very dry, the plants will be benefited by a 

 good watering twice a week, and a little nitrate of soda will 

 make the growth more vigorous. 



Those who have heavy, badly-drained soil will be handicapped 

 as regards early Peas, as, owing to very heavy rainfall, the 

 land is often waterlogged. It will repay growers to forward 

 their early crops by sowing under glass. A much better selec- 

 tion may be made, too, as one can grow sorts which, if sown 

 in cold, wet soil would fail. When sown under glass it is not 

 necessary to use fire-heat, provided the seeds are sown suffi- 

 ciently early, and though germination is slower, the plants 

 will be large enough by the time our variable seasons permit 

 of planting out. Seeds may be sown in cold frames, or any 

 cool glasshouse, but the young plants should be stood as near 

 the glass as possible so soon as they appear above the soil; 

 while, if grown in cold frames, care must be taken to give 

 sufficient shelter should the weather be very severe. When 

 sowing I would advise the use of a loamy soil, as this induces 



