64 CULTURE OF THE SWEET PEA 



fatal to the crop, especially if it is grown 

 on light land; and if the rainfall has been 

 slight even on the heavier lands, the vines 

 burn up completely. When the soil is of 

 a loamy character and the climate foggy, 

 fifteen inches of rain are sufficient to carry 

 the crop. 



The land is best when dry plowed, just 

 as soon as the previous crop is off in the 

 fall. Thus when the rain works through 

 the clods the particles of soil crumble and 

 become pulverized, leaving the soil in 

 good shape for early planting. In Cali- 

 fornia it has not been found necessary as 

 yet to apply any fertilizer to sweet peas. 

 They can be grown year after year on the 

 same land, often producing better crops 

 each year, provided, of course, that dis- 

 eases are kept out. To get the best results 

 in California, sow the seeds in November 

 or December if possible. As soon as the 



