PEAS 55 



warmer parts of the kingdom. As far as my own 

 experience goes, here in Middlesex, we are fortunate in 

 our early peas, but not in getting a good late supply ; 

 whereas the reverse occurs at Alnwick Castle, in North- 

 umberland. In the north, I have splendid late peas 

 well into November in a mild autumn, and there are 

 some splendid late kinds, a few of which I will note. I 

 am not able to devote space to forcing, but for this 

 purpose the earlier peas I have named are very suitable 

 either in pots or frames. I give an illustration of the 

 Daisy pea — a grand forcing variety. I may also refer 

 to the Syon House Main Crop, a cross between Duke 

 of Albany and Telephone. 



Early Peas. — The earliest peas are always favourites, as 

 they come in at a time when there is none too many choice 

 vegetables. There is a great difference of opinion as to 

 the advantage of sowing in autumn in a favoured quarter, 

 say at the foot of a south wall. I am hot in favour of 

 the old practice, as, having given this work special atten- 

 tion, I find that the best results are obtained by sowing 

 in November or early December, and then growing in 

 a cold frame till planting out. I am aware that many 

 of my readers will term this forcing, and in a measure 

 it is, but it is very slow work, and many fruits, flowers, 

 and vegetables, are hastened by a little timely shelter 

 at the start. I find that peas not given heat of any 

 kind are much more reliable than those grown in a 

 shorter time. I have never seen the plants suffer 

 if sown as advised ; but, let me add, always sow 

 new seed (the last season's crop) ; this is more 

 vigorous than old seed. We find four or five inch 

 pots best for the seed sown in cold frames, and we do 

 not crowd the seed. If it should be necessary to sow 

 thickly, the seedlings should be thinned to give the 

 plants room. Nine to twelve seeds in a pot are ample ; 

 thin to six plants evenly distributed over the soil, the 



