PEA 



VEGETABLE GARDEN 



PEA 1123 



the following autumn or winter, when the 

 same process is repeated, and may be 

 continued for several years out of doors. 

 When forced in a high temperatiire indoors 

 the crowns are best thrown away, and 

 renewed by means of root cuttings. 



It may be mentioned that there are 

 special pots on the market used for placing 

 over Seakale plants. They are bell- 

 shaped, with a movable cap or top. 

 Somewhat similar pots are used for forcing 

 Bhubarb out of doors. 



G-roup II. — Leguminous Crops 



PEA (PisuM sativum). — The Pea is a 

 hardy annual belonging to the Legumi- 

 nous order (p. 322), and as a garden crop 

 is held in the highest estimation for its 

 seeds, either in a green or dried state. The 

 plants have a climbing habit and usually 

 cling to stakes or other supports by means 

 of the tendrils, which are in reality 

 specially modified leaves, while the large 

 leaf-like bodies aremore correctly described 

 as stipules (see Glossary, figs. 63, 95, 108). 

 The flowers spring from the axils of the 

 leafy stipules and are white or coloured 

 according to variety. Their general form 

 is as shown in the Glossary, fig. 5, p. 2. 



Soil. — Peas enjoy a rich loamy well- 

 drained soil, but will also produce good 

 crops on ordinary garden soil which has 

 been well manured and dug the previous 

 autumn or winter. The ground for Peas 

 should not be manured immediately 

 preceding the sowing of seeds, or rank 

 heavy manures should at least be weU 

 buried beneath the drUls. In wet seasons 

 a light dry soil is generally best, and in 

 hot dry seasons a rather heavy and moist 

 one (see article on Soil, p. 61). 



Time of sowing. — Seeds of Peas may 

 be sown at intervals of two or three weeks 

 from the middle of November to the end 

 of June the following year, but not out of 

 doors between the middle of November 

 and the middle of January. Drills about 

 2-3 in. deep and 6 in. wide, preferably 

 north and south running, may be opened 

 with a hoe. In each drill two rows of 

 Peas may be sown, the seeds in one alter- 

 nating with those in the other. An ex- 

 cellent method of sowing Peas, especially 

 on dry and porous soils, is to open a trench 

 about 9-12 in. wide and 6-9 in. deep, for 

 the second early and following sowings, 

 covering the seeds as stated below. The 

 great advantage of having trenches in such 

 soils is that the plants wiU receive the fuU 

 benefit of the rain and water. When Peas 

 are sown on the level and the soil is drawn 

 to them when young, the water is drained 



away, and during hot seasons this is a 

 serious disadvantage. 



As a rule Peas are sown much too 

 thickly, with the natural consequence that 

 the plants choke each other later on, and 

 become a prey to mildew owing to the air 

 being unable to circulate freely among the 

 fohage. In the case of early sowings, how- 

 ever, the seeds may be sown rather thickly, 

 as some of the seedlings are likely to 

 perish by mice, slugs, or other misfortunes, 

 and nothing looks worse than to see great 

 gaps in the rows when the plants are 

 above the soil. Some writers recommend 

 sowing the seeds of maincrop varieties 

 2-3 in. apart in the rows, so as to give 

 individual plants more space for develop- 

 ment. This advice looks very well on 

 paper, but in actual practice will lead to 

 disappointment in many cases, because 

 here again accidents will happen — mice, 

 birds, bad seasons, &c., each plays apart in 

 destroying the seeds, and it is therefore 

 safer to sow rather thickly so as to be 

 sure of securing full rows and a good crop. 

 Before covering the Peas with soil, a Uttle 

 soot and lime may be sprinkled along the 

 drills as a prevention against snails, slugs 

 &c. The soil is trodden down firmly with 

 the feet, or levelled with a rake if in light 

 and fairly dry condition. 



The first sowing of Peas in November 

 should be on a warm sunny border facing 

 south or south-west. When the plants 

 are 2-3 in. above ground, the soil should 

 be drawn up on each side to the stems 

 as a protection against frost, and a mulch- 

 ing of short well-rotted manure will now 

 be also useful. Where cold frames exist 

 and are not used for anything else, they 

 may well be utiMsed for the first sowings 

 of Peas. The lights should be kept off on 

 all favourable occasions, and should only 

 be used as a protection against severe 

 frosts. 



Stiching Peas <£c. — When the plants 

 have made a little more growth they 

 should have sticks put to them. The 



4c2 



