THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



379 



•weather, make sowings of such as Stratagem, 

 Wonderful, and Princess Eoyal. Three weeks later 

 sow one or the other of these three last named, along 

 with such varieties as Telephone, Veitch's Perfection, 

 and Ne Plus Ultra. Continue sucoessional sowings 

 of these last or similar good varieties every three 

 weeks until the end of the month of May has been 

 reached. During the months of June and July sow 

 these successions so soon as each last sowing is 

 through the ground, or in round dates about once a 

 fortnight. 



The taU-growing- kinds should be sown about one 

 foot wider apart in the rows than the short ones 

 before named. Draw the drills for these tall sorts 

 also with a six-inch-blade hoe if possible, making a 

 wide drill-row, over the whole space of which scatter 

 the seeds. Chop the soil down from each side of the 

 drill-rows, after having first pressed the seeds down 

 into the soil with the foot to secure firmness and 

 more ready germination at such times as the weather 

 proves dry. Leave the surface somewhat rough and 

 loose over the seeds, and do not raise too great a ridge 

 over them, but let it lie fiat to catch such ' rain- 

 ahowers as faU uniformly all over. 



When these main crops have attained to the 

 height of two or three inches above ground, draw 

 just a few inches of soU close up to the young plants, 

 then hoe deeply beside the rows and across the whole 

 extent of the alleys between them. Now draw quite 

 a large ridge of soil up towards each row on both 

 sides, but not nearer to it than two or three inches, 

 making a table-land, from which the young plants 

 grow, with a ridge around it. By so doing heavy 

 rain-showers will flow direct on to and over the 

 roots, and not, as is too often the case, be driven 

 away from them into the alleys. ArtiiScial waterings 

 can also be given to them with far better eifect. To 

 aid rains to thus penetrate to the roots, the sticks 

 should also have their base placed just inside the 

 outer ridge of this table-land on both sides. 



Pea-sticks should be prepared strong and thin. All 

 ill-placed branches should be cut off, and the spray 

 branchlets from their apex ; so that each stick should 

 form extended horizontal arms whereby to conduct 

 the plants in their upward growth, and to maintain 

 them permanently in futmre against the incidence of 

 heavy rain and wind storms alike. During a dry 

 season such sticks may be somewhat less in hieight 

 than the reputed height of given sorts. During 

 rainy seasons they should be higher. 



Take care to point each stick well without jagged 

 edges, so that in pressing them into the ground risk 

 of injury to the roots below is reduced to a minimum. 

 The sticks must be placed in the ground so that they 

 are as wide apart row from row, top and bottom or each 

 end, as is the base of the two rows apart. Amateurs 



generally make them meet at top, which is a very 

 objectionable practice. It aids the young plants to 

 clasp the sticks with their leaf -tendrils as they travel 

 upwards, to place the sticks slanting in the rows. 

 Commencing with the first stick at one end so' slant- 

 ing, each one in succession should be placed at the 

 same divergence from upright. When the two main 

 rows of sticks have been fixed on each side any single 

 row of Peas, a few of the short branchlets cut off 

 in process of trimming might be inserted all around, 

 in the openings existing between the larger sticks, 

 as an additional aid and incentive to activity of the 

 young plants. 



Birds of minor kinds are often very destructive to 

 the Pea just at the time when germination takes 

 place, and the young plants issue through the ground. 

 At such a stage the common house-sparrows often 

 clip off the young heads out of, as it would seem, 

 sheer wantonness. Pea-guards are useful deterrents, 

 so also are one or two threads stretched along the 

 rows at about two inches above the young plants. 

 Such threads cannot be too small or too transpilrent, 

 however. These wary birds are more opposed to 

 contact with such a minor matter they cannot under- 

 stand, than of strong string, which they would not 

 hesitate to settle upon. 



Finally, for very late crops in autumn, the early 

 kinds sown during November, &c., have been very 

 generally recommended. For late autumn picking, 

 however, no sort is better than the old Ne Plus Ultra, 

 of which additional sowings might be made late in 

 July- 

 Artificial waterings are an important aid to Peas 

 during dry or moderately moist summers. When- 

 ever resorted to, however, they should be copiously 

 applied, along with waterings of liquid manure, as 

 occasion may demand. Mildew often attacks late 

 Peas with great virulence. It is easily destroyed by 

 dusting the whole surface growth over with flowers 

 of sulphur. 



Both the hawfinch and blue tit are often very 

 destructive to peas. The former must be shot, and 

 the latter kept off by similar means or by netting, 

 &c., else will all pods be destroyed. 



Dwarf varieties of Peas are very easily forced or 

 forwarded in pots. Similar treatment to that re- 

 quired for Dwarf Kidney Beans, but with an average 

 of about 6° less heat, suits them admirably. Varie- 

 ties suitable for this purpose are Little Gem and 

 American Wonder. 



Desirable varieties are — First early: Dickson's 

 First, Dr. Hogg, Day's Early Sunrise, William the 

 First, Kentish Invicta, and Paragon. Second early 

 and general crop: Dr. Maclean, Evolution, Cham- 

 pion of England, Gladiator, Telephone, Veitch's 

 Perfection, Dignity, Charles the First, Hunting- 



