Pea 



167 ) 



Peach 



inakoyana (see G. ma- Schrankii, 2', Jy., or. yel. 



kovana). Velutina, 3', Aug., red 



in lai'iijihylla ( Vein- (<// Lopimia mala- 



tina). cophylla). 



PEA. 



Description. Of all vegetables grown in British 

 gardens, the Pea (Pisum sativum, ord. Legutnin- 

 osv) is the: most nutritious, and probably, with 

 the exception of the Potato, the most popular. 

 It is richly nitrogenous, and this proves a dis- 

 advantage to some constitutions, to which Peas 

 act almost as a poison. 



Soil. The IVa is one of the grossest feeders 

 aiming vegetables, and demands a deeply worked, 

 heavily manured soil, with which alone can 

 the best results be secured. Natural manure, 

 supplemented with a little muriate of potash and 

 superphosphate of lime, gives better returns than 

 natural or artificial manures alone. It is desirable 

 that rank manure be placed at the bottom of the 

 first spit of soil, and that heavier applications be 

 made to the main and late crops than to the early 

 ones. 



Early Crops. It used to be the rule to sow 

 early, round-seeded Peas, such as William I., Dick- 

 son's First and Best, and others, on a warm border 

 in November, but the disadvantages are so many 

 that the practice has largely fallen into desuetude. 

 Seeds of similar sorts, as well as the more modern 

 dwarf Early Marrowfats, are sown in pots, boxes, 

 or on strips of turf in frames or greenhouses, early 

 in February. Pots should only be employed where 

 suitable boxes or turves are not conveniently pro- 

 curable. Boxes 24" by fi" by 4.'-", with movable 

 sides or ends, answer, being tilled with light, rich 

 soil ; or boxes 24" by 12" by 4" may be employed, 

 distributing the seeds 2" asunder over the whole 

 surface. The boxes are stood in frames or green- 

 houses, but never in strong heat. With careful 

 attention, and a gradual course of hardening, the 

 plants will be ready for planting as soon as the 

 weather is favourable in March or April. If turves 

 are used they can be 24" by 3" by 1-J". A row of 

 seeds is placed down the centre, and the treatment 

 i- similar to that of box-grown stock. 



Sowing Out of Doors. Seeds should be sown in 

 drills about 2" deep, the distance apart of the rows 

 being governed by the known height of the variety. 

 A safe rule is to have the rows twice as far apart 

 as the plants grow high. Thus for a Pea growing 

 3' the rows should be (>' asunder, the space between 

 being cropped with other vegetables. 



Protecting Seeds and Seedlings. Mice will eat 

 the seeds, and where prevalent the seeds before 

 sowing should be damped and then shaken in a 

 bag containing some red lead. Trapping should 

 also be resorted to. Slugs will take the shoots just 

 pushing from the seed. Lime is useful, but in bad 

 eases hand-picking at night with a lantern should 

 be adopted. Birds are destructive to the young 

 plants, which must be protected with galvanised 

 wire guards, or with a home-made contrivance of 

 win id and string. 



Staking. This should be done very early, before 

 the young plants show the slightest tendency to 

 fall over. I'se good stakes, with ample side growths, 

 to which the plants may cling. 



Peas for Exhibition. Where very fine pods are 

 wanted for exhibition suitable varieties, like Duke 



Paxtonia (see Spatkoylattii). 



of Albany, should be grown, the number of pods 

 on a plant must be strictly limited, the top must 

 be taken from the plant, and generous feeding 

 must be given. 



Thinning the Plants. This is much neglected. 

 Plants of early varieties should be 2" apart, and of 

 stronger-growing main crop and late sorts from 3" 

 to 4" asunder in the rows. 



Forcing Peas. In large gardens this is an im- 

 portant operation. Suitable varieties should be 

 chosen, such as Chelsea Gem, the Sutton Forcing, 

 and the newer Edwin Beckett. Ten-inch or 12" 

 pots should be three parts filled, after drainage 

 has been supplied, with a compost of loam, leaf 

 mould, and road grit, and the seeds sown very 

 thinly and then covered. December is the time to 

 make the first sowing. Strong heat should be 

 avoided, and the plants should have all possible 

 light and air. When the plants have made a good 

 start the pots should be filled to within 1J" of the 

 rim, be staked, and be regularly watered with 

 pure water and occasionally with weak liquid 

 manure. Dwarf varieties may be grown in pits 

 and frames, the seeds being sown in drills in good 

 soil. 



Gathering Peas. The more frequently the pods 

 are picked the longer the plants will continue in 

 bearing. Immediately a pod is fully developed it 

 should be gathered, as it soon afterwards com- 

 mences to lose in flavour and tenderness, and, 

 turning towards seed development, takes more 

 than its share of nourishment, thus robbing other 

 pods on the same plant. 



Pea Mildew. This fungus (Erysiphe Martii) may 

 usually be taken as an indication that the plants 

 are not getting sufficient nourishment, and may 

 arise from a lack of food in the soil, or from dry- 

 ness, when the contained food would not be avail- 

 able for imbibition. In the former case apply 

 liquid manure in at least three forms, such as from 

 natural manure, from soot, and from nitrate of 

 soda. In the latter event water heavily with pure 

 water, and the trouble will usually be easily over- 

 come. 



Pea Mould. This is caused by a fungus (Per- 

 onospora Vicia;), and it usually occurs in close, 

 damp weather. Crowding favours its spread. 



Selection of Varieties : 



For Forcing : 



Chelsea Gem. Edwin Beckett. 



Early Morn. The Sutton Forcing. 



For General Crop, in Order of Readiness : 

 Chelsea Gem, 1'. 'Gladstone, 3'. 



Gradus, 3'. Edwin Beckett, 4'. 



Early Giant, 4'. Duke of Albany, 5'. 



'Duchess of York, 4'. 'Sharpe's Queen, 3'. 



Daisy, 1J'. Ne Plus Ultra, 6'. 



Senator, 2'. 'Autocrat, 4'. 



If only six are required, choose those marked 

 thus *. 



PEA, SWEET (r SWEET PEA). 



PEACH. 



Description. The Peach (Prunus Persica, ord. 

 Kosaceae), and its smooth-skinned sport, the Necta- 

 rine, constitute two of the choicest fruits. Well- 

 grown fruits have a juicy lusciousness that has 

 scarcely a rival, and certainly cannot be excelled. 

 The Peach is supposed by De Candolle to be a native 

 of China, and it was introduced to Italy in A.D. 

 41-54, appearing in England some 1,500 years later. 



