SWEET PEAS FOR GARDEN 65 



back line of a wide border a row of well-grown Sweet Peas 

 is unsurpassable in beauty, and if the colours are judiciously 

 chosen a mixture will be more attractive than individual 

 varieties kept separate ; but for beds, and placing at intervals 

 in borders, clumps of distinct varieties are to be preferred. 

 Much depends upon the extent of the bed or the border 

 how far the clumps should be set apart, but nothing is 

 gained by packing them until it is possible that the loose 

 sprays from one will find their way among the growths of 

 the neighbouring clump, while it is of the utmost import- 

 ance, especially in borders, that they shall not present a 

 level line throughout the entire length, but that some 

 shall be set 3 feet back, while others will be 5 or 8 feet 

 away from the verge, or even more than that if there is 

 room. By adopting some such system as this, formality 

 is avoided. 



Such clumps will give exhibition blooms if the culture 

 has been perfect throughout, but their value will lie mainly 

 in supplying continuous flowers for cutting, for the decora- 

 tion of rooms, and for distribution among friends. The 

 absolute necessity for close picking must never be over- 

 looked by those who require a long succession, which is 

 also substantially favoured by watering and mulching. 



