246 THE PEA CROP. 



more particular in its choice of soils, and less able to 

 bear the changes of a variable climate. This, since 

 the universal introduction of root crops into our rota- 

 tions, has no doubt tended very much to lessen its cul- 

 tivation, even in those districts where the climate is not 

 unfavourable to its growth. At present we rarely find 

 peas entering into the regular rotations of the farm, 

 except in certain districts, where the soil and climate are 

 favourable to their growth. Their cultivation elsewhere is 

 generally for special purposes, either as a change from 

 other cropping, or as a green market crop, where proxi- 

 mity to a large population insures a ready and remunera- 

 tive sale. In Scotland, their position as a field crop is 

 shown by the statistics for 1857, where the acreage under 

 cultivation in beans is returned at 39,186, while the 

 acreage in peas is only 3687. These proportions would 

 probably be equally applicable to England. 



The pea is classed as a leguminous plant, and is termed 

 by the botanists Pisum sativum, or Cultivated Pea. Al- 

 though its botanical characters admit of only one species, 

 still there are so many varieties in cultivation, with 

 certain well-marked and persistent characteristics, that, 

 for practical purposes, they may be classified under two 

 heads, viz., Pisum sativum arvense, which includes all 

 those varieties suitable for cultivation in the field, and 

 Pisum sativum hortense which comprises those varieties 

 suitable for garden cultivation. They are commonly dis- 

 tinguished by the flowers the former being coloured, the 

 latter simply white. Of both of these there are a great 

 number of varieties cultivated. The garden varieties re- 

 ceive numerous additions every year, and are known by 

 an equal variety of names. These, however, we shall have 

 no further occasion to allude to. 



The field peas in ordinary cultivation have generally 

 purple-coloured flowers, the seed being either white, dun. 



