8o CULTURE OF THE SWEET PEA 



low. On the other hand, if the weather is 

 cool and cloudy at the time the seed is 

 sown, the flowers will probably be too late 

 for Christmas trade. It is much better to 

 have the crop in January, as during that 

 month and the following months the prices 

 are usually as high as during the Christmas 

 week. 



When the beds have been well prepared 

 the soil is pressed down and raked smooth. 

 Rows are then opened at least five feet 

 apart and the seed sown about three inches 

 apart in the row, and covered to about one 

 and a half inches deep. Seeds should not 

 be sown in a soil which is too wet and 

 sticky. It is better to wait a few days 

 until conditions are right. White sweet 

 pea seeds, if planted in dry soil and 

 watered soon after being sown, will sel- 

 dom germinate. After the seed is sown, 

 rake the surface of the bed very fine to the 



