156 



The Garden Magazine, November, 1921 



tending seed sowing, for, unless soil conditions are just 

 right, the seeds may rot, wherefore 1 sow in clean sand. 

 When the bed is ready to receive the seed, a furrow or drill is 

 made two inches deep; the furrow is then filled with sand, in 

 which the seed is sown about one to one and one-half inches 

 deep. The seed row is then watered lightly, no further watering 

 being required until the plants are well through the soil. 



If the bed is at present occupied by other plants, start the 

 seed in flats or pots, surfacing them with sand into which the 

 seed is pressed to a depth of half to one inch. Kept in a cool 

 house the seedlings will come along slowly and be sturdy 

 plants by the time the bed is ready for them. 



Beware of sowing too thickly. Space the seed two inches 

 apart, later thinning out to four or six inches apart. When 

 transplanting I usually allow six inches clear space between 

 each, being careful to disentangle any twisted roots, making 

 the hole sufficiently deep 

 to take care of them 

 properly; this is most im- 

 portant. Until the turn 

 of the year, when the 

 days are becoming 

 longer, give water care- 

 fully, and only if the soil 

 is becoming dry. This 

 applies to solid beds. On 

 raised benches or when 

 grown in pots or tubs 

 water will be a regular 

 necessity. During the 

 short days it should be 

 given in the morning, 

 and only in clear bright 

 weather. With the 

 advent of longer days 

 accompanied by bright 

 sunshine, water must be 

 given regularly and copi- 

 ously, and to keep the 

 heavy vines in perfect 

 health, they should be 

 syringed occasionally. 

 When the vines are flow- 

 ering freely a top dress- 

 ing or mulch of well 

 rotted manure will be of 

 much assistance, as also 



liquid manure, but avoid overdoing the latter stimulant, as there 

 is always the danger of an extra dose causing the buds to drop. 



Sweet-peas require plenty of head room as the season ad- 

 vances, also liberal spacing between the rows. Let them be 

 about four feet apart. From November sowings twelve feet of 

 height should be ample. 



A SUDDEN change in temperature will often cause mildew 

 to appear, but if taken early, dusting the flowering vines 

 with sulphur, it is readily subdued ; keep the atmosphere as dry as 

 possible, and avoid syringing the vines for a few days. If 

 green fly appears fumigate every ten days with some nicotine 

 preparation. 



Do not attempt to grow the ordinary, summer-flowering, 

 Spencer Sweet-peas under glass if early blooms are wanted, the 

 proper and only type for this purpose is the Early or Winter- 

 flowering strain. If va- 

 rieties of that strain be 

 sown early in November 

 there will be no lack of 

 beautiful, fragrant flow- 

 ers from March until 

 May. Winter-blooming 

 Spencer Sweet-peas may 

 now be had in practically 

 all the shades found in 

 the older type. 



Good, reliable varieties 

 for present sowing are: 

 Snowstorm, white; Love- 

 liness, white, suffused 

 pink; Enchantress, deep 

 pink; Daybreak, cream- 

 pink; Flamingo, light 

 orange; Glitters, orange- 

 scarlet; Illumination, 

 cerise; Lavender King, 

 lavender; True Blue, 

 violet-blue; Rose Queen, 

 rose-pink ; Rosebud, clear 

 rose; Early King, crim- 

 son ; Glorious, purple; 

 Daintiness, white, edged 

 rose; Exquisite, cream, 

 edged rose; Early Aurora, 

 white-flaked orange- 

 scarlet. 



MID-MARCH IN THE GREENHOUSE 



When man's wits pitted against nature's inclemency achieve a triumph 

 like this, the successful grower regards his handiwork with a pardon- 

 able thrill, and indoor gardening becomes imbued with incomparable zest 



