154 GARDEN STEPS 



peas are then sown, fairly thick, about a quart to 

 one hundred feet of row. The earth is again drawn 

 back over the peas to a depth of about two inches, 

 and made firm above them. 



In case dairy dressing cannot be secured, make the 

 ground rich with poultry droppings or commercial 

 fertilizer. Do not place either of these in the row 

 with the peas, for they are likely to burn the tender 

 plants as they find their way to the surface. Scat- 

 ter about two wheelbarrow loads of poultry drop- 

 pmgs, or ten pounds of commercial fertilizer, to each 

 hundred feet of row, working them thoroughly into 

 the earth before opening the furrow. 



Whatever fertilizer you may use, it is a good plan 

 after planting to sprinkle a little commercial fer- 

 tilizer, or nitrate of soda, over the row above the 

 peas. Sprinkle it on about as thick as you would 

 put salt on mashed potato. This gets quickly to 

 the first small roots and helps the sprout along until 

 the roots are tapping the main source of supply. 



Cover peas gradually as they grow. In using 

 dairy dressing, the furrow is opened deep enough to 

 admit putting the manure well below the peas. 

 Of course this deep furrow is not necessary when 

 fertilizers are worked into the soil. In that cas.e, 

 the furrow is opened to a depth of only about four or 

 five inches. In either case, two inches of earth is 

 drawn over the peas when first planted, and this 

 leaves another inch or two of earth to draw about 



