i88 DISEASES OF THE SWEET PEA 



doubt that we may obtain strains resistant 

 to more than one disease. 



SEED TREATMENT 



It was previously shown that the seeds 

 are capable of carrying anthracnose and 

 possibly also the streak disease. It is 

 therefore unwise to plant sweet pea seeds 

 without first treating them. Heating the 

 seed in hot water at various temperatures 

 of 100 degrees, 90, 80, 70 and 60 de- 

 grees C. from one second to five minutes 

 does not seem to yield promising results. 

 Soaking the seed in sulphuric acid from 

 five to fifteen minutes helps to accelerate 

 germination, especially of the hard seed; 

 and it also destroys all harmful germs 

 which adhere to the seed coat. After soak- 

 ing the seeds in the sulphuric acid, they 

 should be thoroughly washed in running 

 water, then dried and planted in the usual 



