66 CULTURE OF THE SWEET PEA 



tween the rows prevents further cultiva- 

 tion. It is generally necessary to hoe the 

 crop three times. 



Sweet peas are never given supports or 

 stakes in California. The vines meet in 

 the rows and by supporting one another 

 soon grow to quite a height. In a good 

 season they may grow five or more feet 

 high. In California each plant sends out 

 a very large number of shoots immediately 

 above ground so that the fields are very 

 thick and in flowering season are just one 

 mass of blossom. 



The most important problem is that of 

 "rogueing" and of selection. This is es- 

 pecially the case with Spencer sweet peas. 

 The stock seed should be right; otherwise 

 enormous expense and labor are entailed 

 in rogueing the great mass of plants in 

 flower, and great damage is done. Should 

 some rogues be allowed to seed, the stock 



