476 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



i long season. But when there is no want of space and 

 the soil has been prepared as advised, sowings of 

 moderate quantities may be made from early spring until 

 the end of June, and the latest sowing should, as a rule, 

 furnish good Peas in September. It is far better to sow a 

 pint of any variety of Pea in two sowings and in an interval 

 of two weeks than to make one sowing of a pint in probably 

 the same length of row occupied by half that quantity. 



Supports for Peas are usually furnished by hazel or 

 other tree branches. Where obtainable at moderate 

 prices, nothing is better or cheaper, as the wood is worth 

 half its original cost at the close of the season for firewood. 

 Where Pea supports of this kind are expensive, there is 

 the alternative plan of fixing at either end of rows, 

 and also at intervals along the sides, stout stakes or 

 bamboo rods that stand out of the ground to the same 

 height that the Pea growths will reach. Then, as growtli 

 is made, run along from stake to stake, about 9in. 

 apart, cheap soft yarn or string. This makes an excellent 

 substitute for the ordinary branch sticks. Wire frames of 

 varying breadths and heights having very large meshes or 

 apertures in them may be purchased and fixed to either 

 side of the Pea rows, secured to stakes. These are 

 expensive at first, but will last many years, and when not 

 in use may be stored in a small space. 



Watering during the summer, if drought prevails, is 

 essential. In so doing, however, liquid manure should 

 not be poured in close to the stems of the plants, but in 

 furrows made about ift. away, as then the water can 

 soak through to the roots without injuring the stems. 

 The soil between and near the plants should be well 

 moistened, and when so treated a liberal mulching or 

 covering of long manure will certainly check evaporation, 

 retaining the much-needed moisture in the soil. Occa- 

 sional soakings of liquid manure from cesspools or tanks, 

 etc., given in this way, are of great assistance. Peas 

 have the reputation of creating their own nitrogen, which 

 is scientifically true ; but all experienced growers know 

 that the more liberally crops are fed with liquid manure 

 the more abundant is the produce. 



Varieties. — These are indeed legion, and for that 

 reason it is not easy to make a good selection. We 

 have happily, however, such splendid first early marrow 

 varieties that it is scarcely necessary to sow any of the 

 old hard round Peas that were formerly our only first 

 earlies. Good kinds are as under : 



Variety. 

 Chelsea Gem 

 Excelsior 

 American Wonder 

 English Wonder 

 Dwarf Defiance 

 Daisy 

 Sensation 

 Bountiful 

 The Ameer 



Height. 

 2oin. 

 iSin. 

 Ibin. 

 2oin. 

 22in. 

 24m. 

 36m. 

 36in. 

 36in. 



Seasi 111. 

 First early 



Second early dwarf 



Second early taller 



The following are all high-class marrow Peas for 

 succession, and late sowing as placed : 



Variety. Height. 



Stratagem ... ... ... join. 



Triumph ... ... ... 36m. 



Magnum Bonum ... ... 36m. 



Peerless ... ... ... 36m. 



Queen ... ... ... 36m. 



Autocrat ... ... ... 42111. 



Latest of All ... ... 36m. 



Telephone, Duke of Albany, and Ne Plus Ultra crop in 

 succession, but are tall, therefore need more space. 

 Potato, The. — The Potato continues to be a national 

 food, and is, therefore, a garden product of importance, 

 deserving the most careful cultivation. It is needful, to 

 secure good crops, to have deep, well-worked soil. 

 Without this assistance the finest varieties raised of 

 recent years will fail. The soil should be moderately 

 manured only. A mass of rank material is hurtful, and 

 ano'.her important point is to have good seed tubers. It 

 is difficult to lay too much stress upon the importance of 



well-hardened tubers, made so by exposure to light ana 

 air through the winter. Only cover them when there is 

 danger from sharp frosts. Well-hardened tubers suffer 

 less from frost than those not exposed or seasoned, but it 

 is wise to first exclude frost, if only just doing this and 

 no more. 



Seed Tubers. — Wherever Potatoes are grown, and it 

 is determined to plant the same stock the following 

 spring, select the tubers for seed when the crop is lifted. 

 For this purpose they should be of good shape and from 

 2oz. to 30Z. each in weight, as experience has proved that 

 whilst sets of this size are the most economical they 

 produce the best average crops. Shallow deal boxes, 

 each holding about 141b. of tubers and having sides 

 admitting air freely and narrow strips let into the ends to 

 form handles, prove excellent store trays for the tubers. 

 These can, in safe weather, be spread out thinly so as to 

 admit ample light and air. If very hard weather comes 

 they can be placed one on the other and be covered up 

 to keep them secure from harm. When thus treated the 

 eves of the tubers remain dormant longer than if kept in 

 heaps or in the dark. When they break in the spring 

 the shoots are short, stout, and green, and may be easily 

 preserved for planting. When seed tubers are planted in 

 this way not only are the crops more abundant, but 

 they also maintain a robust, healthy stock. When 

 stored thickly, or in the dark, so that premature 

 blanched shoots are made, that have to be rubbed off, 

 deterioration of the stock is the result, with a reduced 

 crop. 



Preparing Soil. — Potatoes will succeed fairly well on 

 most soils, but experience shows that the best results are 

 obtained on deep, somewhat light or sandy ground. Soils, 

 however, have to be taken as they are found. To obtain 

 good crops, trenching or very deep digging is essential. 

 The soil can scarcely be too well broken up and 

 pulverised. If naturally poor, or much impoverished by 

 previous crops, a dressing of half-decayed stable manure 

 should be buried when digging is in operation. Winter 

 is the best season for the work, and the manure will then 

 be getting well decomposed before planting is com- 

 menced. Besides animal manures, soot, wood ashes, 

 and a mixture of superphosphate of lime two parts, 

 kainit or potash two parts, and nitrate of soda one part, 

 may be forked in at the time of planting. In all 

 cases planting should take place when the soil is fairly 

 dry, otherwise it becomes, especially beneath the tubers, 

 hard set, and detrimental to free production. 



Planting. — The time of planting Potatoes necessarily 

 depends upon soil, climate, and general surroundings. 

 In Southern British gardens it may be safe to plant a 

 month earlier than in the North ; but in the South late 

 frosts are sometimes sharp, when the tops are severely 

 injured. Potatoes, it must always be remembered, are 

 tender exotics, and cannot withstand frost, and for that 

 reason it is unwise to plant too early anywhere. The 

 case, of course, is different in frames or on warm borders, 

 where a rough framework can be run up, over which at 

 nights mats can be thrown to protect the tops. First 

 early varieties may then be planted in February. 

 Specially prepared sproucing seed for such a purpose 

 should be used, and as moulding up is of little importance 

 the sets may be planted I2in. apart each way to obtain 

 a good crop of medium-sized tubers. Late strong- 

 growing Potatoes when planted often remain from four to 

 five weeks in the ground before coming through. Early 

 varieties are more quickly up, and it is, therefore, well to 

 plant so that all danger from late spring frosts is over 

 before the tops come through. The method of planting 

 is as follows : When the sets are of medium size and the 

 soil well worked and light the labour is soon over 

 by using a large dibber. In planting drop the sets 

 carefully into the holes, keeping the shoots intact and 

 upwards. Where the soil is wet or has not been previously 

 dug, digging and planting must unfortunately go on 

 simultaneously. That is the best way if the sets be 

 large or have to be cut, as it is advisable to lay them 

 close to the bottoms of the trenches. The usual depth 



