180 KITCHEN GARDEN. 



ground, peas are greedily devoured by sparrows and 

 other small birds. Threads of white worsted spread 

 along the lines of the young peas frighten the depre- 

 dators fully better than scarecrows or strings of fea- 

 thers; but perhaps the simplest and most efFectual re- 

 medy is to throw over the peas a slight covering of 

 soil, for by the time the young plants have penetrated 

 this they are beyond the attack of the birds. 



The early crops come into use in May and June, 

 and, by repeated sowings, the supplies are prolonged 

 to the beginning of November. Peas grown late in 

 autumn are subject to mildew, to obviate which, Mr. 

 Knight has , proposed the following method : The 

 ground is dug over in the usual way, and the spaces to be 

 occupied by the future r9ws of peas are well soaked 

 with water. The mould on each side is then collected 

 so as to form ridges seven or eight inches high, and 

 these ridges are well watered. On these the seed is 

 sown in single rows in the beginning of June. If dry 

 weather at any time set in, water is supplied profusely 

 once a week. In this way, the sap which it prepared in 

 the summer is expended in the autumn; the plants con- 

 tinue green and vigorous, resisting mildew, and not 

 yielding till subdued by frost. 



In the Middle States, vfhen sown successively from 

 the last of February,to the 10th of May, crops of young 

 green peas may be had constantly from May to the end 

 of July. About the middle of August, peas may be 

 planted again, previous to which it is best to soak them 

 in water for twenty-four hours. Water the. rows before 

 planting if the ground be dry, and watering the peas 

 whilst growing will tend to keep off the mildew, so apt to 



