Best Kind of Soil for Peas 123 



July or August. The Marrowfat varieties are very 

 hardy and are planted in November. They are, however, 

 inferior in quality to the other type. The types usually 

 planted in the gardens for shelled peas for table use are 

 designated as round, and are smooth on the surface 

 when dry. The wrinkled varieties have the surface 

 irregularly wrinkled when mature. The round varieties 

 are more hardy and earlier than the wrinkled, but in- 

 ferior to the latter in table qualities. The vines of 

 different varieties vary from one foot to six feet in 

 height. The dwarf varieties are preferred by many 

 gardeners, because they do not require to be stuck or 

 "brushed." 



As with nearly all garden vegetables, the pea prefers 

 a deep, rich sandy loam, although it grows successfullj^ 

 in clay loam of good texture. The soil should be fertile 

 but not excessively so, as this increases a tendency to 

 vine growth at the expense of fruitage and involves 

 more expense in supporting the vines, since the sticks, 

 or supports, should be as tall as the vines. The fertilizer 

 should be rich in potash and phosphoric acid and 

 should contain a smaller percentage of nitrogen, since 

 this plant can collect nitrogen from the air. The distance 

 between the rows should vary with the habit of growth 

 of the variety, the dwarf varieties requiring only two 

 feet, while such tall growers as the Champion of England 

 should have four. The seed should be covered four 

 inches deep in a well -pulverized soil, and average one 

 pea to the inch of row. The round varieties may be 

 planted earlier than the wrinkled kinds. The latter will 

 rot in the ground if freezing weather occurs after they 



