FERRY & CO 



DETROIT, MICH. 



95 



SWEET PEAS 



One ounce of seed is sufficient to plant a single row of 50 feet 



{Lathyrns odoratns) No garden is too small for a row of Sweet Peas and no estate, however extensive or magnificent, should 

 fail to include many varieties of this most popular flower. Its long blooming season usually extends from early summer until 

 very hot dry weather and no other climber equals it for cutting, either for use in bouquet's or for table decoration. 



In describing varieties, by ''standard" is meant the wide petal at the top of the flower; the "wings" are the two petals below. 



The Grandiflora or large flowering type, owing to its vigor of growth, its freedom of blooming and extremely wide range 

 of colors is well suited for most conditions of growth and location. 



The Spencers are of exceptionally large size, the standard and wings waved or frilled and the general effect remarkably 

 graceful and attractive. Tlie plants are of vigorous growth and remain in bloom for a longer time than the Grandiflora sorts. 

 The Spencers are decidedly shy seeders, hence the price will doubtless always be higher than for the older types. 



Culture. Early in spring make a trench three to four inches deep in rich, mellow soil, so arranged that no water can 

 stand in it and plant the seed in tlie bottom, covering at first only one inch deep. Sweet Peas, particularly the whitp seeded 

 sorts, are often a little difficult to start. If the soil is too dry they will remain a long time without germinating; if it isTtoo wet 

 and cold they will not sprout at all. In soils at all heavy, or composed largely of clay, put about one inch of sand in the bottom 

 of the trench and sow the seed on this, covering with more sand. Cover the row with a board to shed the rain and protect 

 the soil from the hot sun but remove this as soon as the young plants appear. 



When the plants are two inches 



high, cultivate and as they grow 

 gradually fill up the trench. When 

 the plants are about five inches high 

 it is desirable to furnish some support 

 for the vines to run upon, preferably 

 a wire netting firmly supported by 

 stakes to prevent sagging, but strings 

 or brush are often used with satisfac- 

 tory results. 



Where plantings are made as ear- 

 ly as possible deep spading or plow- 

 ing, the placing of manure deeply in 

 the soil to draw the roots downward, 

 a sunny situation with the rows 

 running where possible north and 

 south, the removal in the early stages 

 of growth of all but two branches 

 and the thinning of the plants eight 

 to twelve inches apart— these con- 

 ditions are usually essential for 

 the largest and most finely formed 

 blossoms. 



The roots should not be allowed 

 to become too dry. Water applied 

 thoroughly once or twice a \\eek, 

 preferably early in the morning or in 

 the evening, is usually better than 

 light sprinkling more frequently. 



The blooms should be picked be- 

 fore they form pods or the plants 

 will soon stop flowering. 



Fall Planting. A better growth 

 of vines and earlier blooming often 

 result from planting seed in the fall 

 instead of early spring. If a weJl 

 drained sandy soil is selected tiiis 

 method may usually be depended 

 upon to give satisfactory results even 

 in the Northern states. 



Preparation of the soil is the same 

 as that for spring planting. The seeds 

 should be sown about an inch or two 

 apart in rows about three inches deep, 

 and firmly covered with soil which 

 should be somewhat ridged above the 

 rows to improve drainage. The most 

 important point in fall planting of 

 Sweet Peas is to plant late enough so 

 that plants will not appear above the 

 surface of the soil before freezing 

 weather sets in. Plantings are usually 

 made in the latitude of Detroit from 

 the 1st to the 15th of November. 

 After the ground freezes the rows 

 should be covered Avith a mulch of 

 litter or manure. Upon approach of 

 warm weather in the spring the rows 

 should be examined and if plants 

 have started the mulch ixiay be re- 

 moved either wholly or in part leaving 

 it, between the rows or near at hand 

 so that it may be replaced in case of 

 a cold wave or sudden change of 

 temperature. 



For the aphis or plant louse, 

 spraying with solutions of some to- 

 bacco extract or whale-oil soap is 

 usually effective; and for the Red 

 Spider, which also causes trouble at 

 times, spraying with pure water is 

 usually sufficient. A frequent change 

 of location has also been found im- 

 portant, Spencer Sweet Peas 



