4 



THE CULTIVATION OF PEAS. 



Soil. — A good friable loam, in which there is plenty of lime, is the best for peas. The soil should be 

 dug to a good depth so that the roots may easily penetrate downwards in time of drought, and the surface 

 should be kept rather rough so that the rain water may not run off it, but pass through the soil. 



Manure. — Well-rotted stable manure should be applied in greater or less quantity according as the soil 

 is more or less poor, and it should be dug in about a foot below the surface. 



The ground having been prepared, the first thing to be done is to mark the distances for the rows, and 

 this will depend on the heights of the varieties selected. In previous numbers of the Bulletin, varieties 

 growing from 3 to 5 feet in height, were recommended as being the most suitable for general cultivation. 

 Tall growing varieties require to be planted not less than 7 or 8 feet apart, and in England they are often 

 planted at twice or thrice that distance apart, and other low growing crops, such as turnips, &c, planted 

 between the rows, it having been abundantly proved that the further the rows are placed apart, the better 

 the yield and produce. As a rule, however, the distance between the rows may be about the same as the 

 height to which the varieties usually grow. The rows should run from North to South. 



Sowing the Seeds. — Having decided on the distances apart for the rows, and marked them with pieces of 

 stick, a line should be stretched and drills made with a garden hoe, about 3 or 3^ inches deep, and about 6 

 inches wide, then the seeds should be sown, not too thickly, but allowing room enough for them to grow, with- 

 out robbing each other of nourishment and moisture. A pint of good seed should sow a row 60 to 70 feet in 

 length, or several rows equal in total length. When the seeds have been sown, the soil taken out of the 

 drills should be broken fine with a rake if lumpy, and the peas covered with it, and lightly trodden. 



As soon as the plants have grown a few inches, a little earth should be drawn by a hoe towards them, 

 and this should be repeated as they advance. They should then be at once sticked, and as soon as the tendrils 

 appear the sticks will be in readiness for them to lay hold of. Small sticks may be used at first, but as the 

 plants advance in growth, taller, twiggy branches will be necessary. Two rows of sticks are needed for each 

 row of peas, one on each side of the plants. In sticking, begin at one end of the row, put the sticks firmly 

 in the ground, and slant those on one side slightly in the same direction, and if those on the other side of the 

 peas are equally slanted in an opposite direction, a kind of lattice work will be formed and will be a good 

 support for the plants. 



If the weather be hot and dry, a thick layer of litter spread between the rows will be advantageous, by 

 keeping the ground moist, and comparatively cool. 



W. Harris. 



INSTRUCTION IN THE CULTIVATION OF THE GRAPE VINE. 



The cultivation of the grape vine is one of those petites cultures admirably adapted to the circumstances 

 of many people of all classes, and to the climatic conditions of several parts of the island. 



By permission of His Excellency the Governor it has been arranged that Mr. Thompson, the Superin- 

 tendent of King's House Garden, shall give a series of brief practical demonstrations on living vines, giving 

 hints on the care of the vine from the time of first putting in a cutting, the proper method of pruning, thin- 

 ning the bunches, etc. 



A large number of cuttings of vines of the best kinds were obtained some time ago through the Kew 

 Gardens from the Eoyal Horticultui al Society's Garden at I hiswick, and these bavebeen planted in a portion 

 of King's House grounds adjoining the East Lodge. When the vines are sufficiently old, the demonstrations 

 will take place in this experimental vineiy. Meantime permission was given by S. L. Schloss, Esq., for 

 the work to be begun in the vinery at his pen, Collins Green, on the Halfway-Tree road. The first demon- 

 stration took place there on Saturday 12th November, at 4 o'clock. 



The last demonstration there was given on 3rd December. This concludes the series on mature 

 vines considered at this time of the year. During the two following weeks, Mr. Thompson gives demon- 

 strations on the young vines received from Kew and planted near the East Lodge. 



Present Treatsiknt of Grape Vines. 



In connection with his demonstrations at Mr. Schloss' Pen on the cultivation of the Grape Vine, Mr. 

 Thompson has been requested to put down a few notes on the subject for the benefit of those unable to 

 attend, and his remarks are given below. As regard the rest required by the vines at this time of the year 

 in order that the wood may ripen, the practice in India is to uncover the roots in October when the rains are 

 over, and allow them tj remain bare for a month or two. At this time the leaves will have fallen, and the 

 vines are then pruned. In the beginning of February, rich manure is dug in to help in the production of 

 new shoots, leaves and blossoms. Sir E. Tennent in his work on " Ceylon" says that in that country, the 

 roots of the vines are stripped "once a year, about the time of pruning, in July." 



Mr. Thompson writes : — 



" If by neglect the vines have got into an over-grown 6tate, they should be gone over carefully and all 

 the very small and thin shoots taken out. All laterals should be taken off the fruiting wood, at the same 

 time great care must be taken not to rub or knock any of the foliage off the fruiting wood, for the leaves in 

 this wood are needed to protect and develop the buds for fruiting next year. The leading growths of the 

 vine must not be cut back at all until the pruning for fruit takes place about February. 



* All lateral growihs are a waste to the plant, if allowed to grow too long, and they should be pinched 

 or cut back to their first leaf as soon as they have ma le about 4 inches of growth. When the next laterals 

 make their appearance and are in the same stage of growth, they should be treated like those before. By so 

 doing all the energy of the vine goes into the main growth, fruiting wood or fruit, instead of forming a 

 number of small and useless shoots. 



" The late rains are not good for vines, for they give them a tendency to shoot now, whereas at this 

 time of the year, vines should be kept at rest as much as possible, and this can only be done by keeping the 

 roots of the vines as dry as possible, so as to get the wood of the vino well ripened, for without well ripened 

 wood, we cannot expect fruit next year. Vines in a proper state, with regard to pruning, and vines that have 

 just done fruiting, will not need more attention of any kind before January. In the meantime the leaves 

 should change colour and fall off the vine, and then the wojd will eventually be in a ripe condition to prune 

 for fruit." 



