CHAPTER V 

 SEED SOWING 



FORTUNATELY, the grower of Sweet Peas has ample latitude 

 in regard to seed sowing. He has not to depend upon the 

 conditions of weather and soil being ideal in any particular 

 week, for he can commence sowing in September, and 

 continue monthly, with the exception of December, until 

 the following April there have been instances where a May 

 sowing has produced excellent plants which have blossomed 

 freely very late in the season. During recent years the prac- 

 tice of sowing in pots, either in the autumn or the spring, 

 has become more and more popular, and there are amateurs 

 who appear to think that it is only in this manner that the 

 best exhibition flowers can be produced. This, however, is 

 very far from being correct. Assuming all other things are 

 favourable, it is just as easy to grow good flowers from 

 seeds sown out-of-doors in autumn or spring, according to 

 conveniences and circumstances, as it is from seeds sown 

 under glass at those seasons. It is, of course, obvious that 

 pot-sown seeds and plants are more under the complete 

 control of the cultivator than those out-of-doors ; but apart 



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