THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 223 



basis for a crop of garden peas. Says he : " For 

 the earHest crop I select a warm, well-drained 

 eastern or southern slope, plow and prepare the 

 ground in March if possible. As we are i,6oo to 

 1,700 feet above sea level, and about latitude 41 

 degrees, it is necessary to be ready to go to work 

 the first day it is fit, if the frost is out of the 

 ground. 



" After plowing I first use a clod crusher to level 

 the ground and then apply a 3%-io-5 fertilizer, 

 made according to my own formula from nitrate 

 of soda, dried blood, acid phosphate, muriate and 

 sulphate of potash, at the rate of about 1,800 pounds 

 to the acre. One year I applied about half of it 

 where the row of peas was to be, cultivating it or 

 harrowing it in thoroughly, thus putting the ground 

 in the best condition possible early in the season. 



" The rows are staked out 3>< to 4 feet apart. 

 Four feet is best unless the furrows are made very 

 straight. A single shovel plow is used. A furrow 

 is first made a little to one side of the row of stakes 

 and peas planted by hand, in it, using a quart to a 

 230-foot row. The shovel plow is then run close 

 above, and just near enough to cover the peas 

 nicely in the first furrow about i inch deep. In 

 the second furrow made in covering the peas 

 in the first, peas are planted as in the first furrow, 

 and covered with the plow in the same way. Thus 

 a double row is made with about 6 inches between. 

 In this space in the row, small sharpened locust 

 stakes are driven every 15 to 20 feet as soon as the 

 peas are up, so that the rows can be plainly seen. 

 On these stakes, poultry netting is stretched and 

 fastened at upper and lower edges with staples. 



" For Alaska, my favorite early variety, a 12-inch 

 wire is used. For Gradus and other kinds of about 



