52 GARDENING DIFFICULTIES SOLVED 



A. Seeds are sown in September, 5 or 6 seeds round the edge of 

 a 5 inch wide flower pot. Keep in a cold frame until December, 

 then bring in greenhouse. Temperature should not exceed 50 

 without sunheat. Neither should it fall below 40 in cold weather. 

 Use a fairly light soil, turfy soil two thirds, leaf soil and sand one 

 third. In January the plants will be only about 6 inches high, but 

 with a little sunshine they will grow rapidly, being by then well 

 rooted. Keep the soil fairly moist. More water will be needed as 

 growth becomes more vigorous- Give a little air when the ther- 

 mometer registers 55 under the influence of sunshine. Occasional 

 applications of Clay's Fertilizer much diluted may be given from 

 March onwards. 



Sweet Peas Killed by Pea Mould 



Q. Can you tell me what is the matter with the Sweet Peas I 

 send you ? They have been quite a failure. E, 0. H., Walsall. 



A. The plants are quite dead at the roots, reduced to the con- 

 dition of thin rusty wire, and the leaves are all dried up, browned, 

 and more or less dead. They have been destroyed by the Pea 

 mould (Peronospora trifoliorum var. viciae). Wet weather favours 

 the fungus. With better weather the plants should improve, as the 

 fungus is not only an early affection, but is also retarded by fine dry 

 weather. The plants may possibly be benefited by watering with 

 a solution of iron sulphate, | oz. to 1 gallon of water, using this 

 along both sides of the row, but not over the plants, and if these 

 have the rootstems sound it is likely they may recruit, otherwise 

 there is very little hope of betterment. You may use the sulphate 

 of iron solution once a week, and as a general fertiliser for Sweet 

 Peas a solution containing | oz. each of superphosphate of lime 

 and kainit (high quality), and ^ oz. each of nitrate of soda and 

 iron sulphate to 4 gallons of water. Of course, this must not be used 

 where the iron sulphate solution is employed, and it is advisable to 

 alternate this with lime water, adding a tablespoonful of soot to 

 each gallon of lime', forming the soot into a paste previously so that 

 it can be readily mixed. All the diseased plants, as they go off, 

 should be pulled up and burned, not leaving any part of the haulm 

 in the ground, not even portions of leaves. 



Sweet Peas in Same Spot Year after Year 



Q. My garden is so small that I shall be compelled to grow 

 Sweet Peas in the same place year after year. How am I to treat 



