PEAS. 



169 



do not plant the wrinkled kinds until the soil is in best condi- 

 tion and somewhat warm. The wrinkled kinds are better in 

 quality than the round and smooth varieties. Peas having 

 edible pods are not popular in this country, probably because of 

 the ease with which string beans are grown. 



Culture. — Peas may be grown successfully in almost any 

 good soil; they even do well on rather poor soil. The kinds hav- 

 ing smooth seeds should be planted as soon as the ground can 

 be worked in the spring — even a hard freeze does not hurt the 

 plants as they are coming out of the ground, and they will stand 

 considerable frost when well up The distance between the rows 

 and the seeds in the row depend somewhat on the kinds grown. 

 Some kinds branch out far more than others and, con- 

 sequently, need more room in the row. They also 

 vary in length of stem from ' a few inches to six 

 or seven feet. The tall kinds require the rows to be five or 

 six feet apart, while dwarf varieties are generally planted in 

 rows thirty inches to three feet apart. The growing of tall kinds 

 is mostly confined to private gardens, where it is customary to 

 use brush or other material in the rows for support. Formerly, 

 among tall varieties, were those far excelling in quality any- 

 thing found among those of a dwarf habit, but recent introduc- 

 tions of the latter kinds have shown a great improvement in 

 quality, until now the dwarf sorts are generally grown, even 

 by the most fastidious.. In common practice, the seed is 

 sown about four inches deep, in rows three feet apart, putting 

 about ten seeds to each foot of row. It is best to sow plenty of 

 seed in order to secure a good stand. The land should be well 

 cultivated between the rows. Unleached wood ashes or some 

 other fertilizer rich in potash and phosphoric acid is most bene- 

 ficial for this crop. As it belongs to the leguminous section of 

 plants, it is a nitrogen producer and, consequently, does not need 

 much nitrogen in the soil. Early peas as generally grown are out 

 of the way in time to allow the land to be used for late cabbage 

 or string beans. V/hen it is desired to extend the season of table 

 peas, successive showings should be made at intervals of two 

 weeks, up to the tenth of June. During the summer the vines are 

 too liable to mildew to make late spring planting successful. 

 The pea is distinctively a cool weather plant and on this account 



