HISTORY AND EVOLUTION 31 



An essential requirement in growing 

 sweet peas is to plant early, while the 

 atmospheric conditions are such as to pre- 

 vent top growth before the plant has 

 started a vigorous root development. The 

 result is that, when warmer weather comes, 

 the top grows strong and heavy, the plant 

 branches out, and throughout the season 

 this increased vigor is evident. Experi- 

 ments made by sowing seeds every ten days 

 from the earliest practicable date until the 

 end of May indicate that early planting is 

 desirable. 



Depth. If the preparation of the soil 

 has been made in the fall, it is advisable 

 to smooth the surface of the trench and 

 plant in this. When the preparation has 

 been made in the spring the soil must not 

 be left too loose — a condition that may 

 easily occur if a deep trench is made and 

 only loosely filled with soil and manure. 



