HISTORY AND EVOLUTION 43 



the light support they often use old rasp- 

 berry canes, in fact, anything of a light, 

 much-branched character. This affords 

 protection from high winds when the 

 plants are small. 



Netting. When other systems of sup- 

 porting are to be employed, it is quite im- 

 perative to provide a support of small, 

 short twigs as soon as the seedlings begin 

 to produce tendrils. This method pre- 

 vents the rain from beating the small 

 plants down, and enables them to get up 

 to the other support. In city gardens, 

 owing to the difficulty in procuring suit- 

 able sticks, wire netting makes a very sat- 

 isfactory support. The peas do not cling 

 to it so well, but it is cleaner and neater 

 in appearance, and thus offers a compen- 

 sating advantage. The large mesh (four- 

 inch) is preferable; but in many places 

 this is not procurable and the ordinary 



