LEGUMINOUS PLANTS.— THE PEA. 



53 



on the south side, should they survive the 

 frosts of winter and spring, on the side 

 next the sun, the crop being accelerated 

 by the radiated heat from the surface : 

 should these fail, those on the northern side 

 seldom do, and give a good crop, though 

 somewhat later. In sowing the general 

 crops during summer, if the ground be 

 very dry, the drills should be well soaked 

 with water previous to setting the pease : 

 this moisture, being covered up, retains 

 the seeds in good condition for a long- 

 time, and hastens their germination, which 

 otherwise might as well be in the bag. 



Subsequent cultivation. — When the crop 

 has attained the height of about five 

 inches, a little earth should be drawn 

 around the stems, but not so close as to 

 press upon them ; it should form a sort 

 of ridge, with a slight channel in the 

 middle. The intention here is not, as in 

 many other cases, to encourage the roots 

 to diverge in a horizontal direction, for 

 they have no disposition to do so; but 

 rather to give a slight support to the 

 plants, until they take hold of the stakes 

 which are to support them. Those crops 

 which are not to be staked require this sup- 

 port the most, and they should have the 

 earth drawn up upon one side only, that 

 the haulm may be thrown to one side, 

 which will both facilitate the operation of 

 gathering, and will keep the ground clean 

 between them at the same time, while it 

 supports the neck of the plants better than 

 if the earth were drawn up on both sides. 



The advantage of stopping pease is much 

 greater than is generally admitted, as is 

 also that of thin-planting the seed. If 

 the seed of most kinds be planted 6 inches 

 apart, instead of being sown, as they gene- 

 rally are, a saving of seed to the extent of 

 five-sixths will be the consequence ; and if 

 the plants, even of the tall-growing kinds, 

 are stopped when they have attained the 

 height of 2 feet, and when they have made 

 three joints after this stopping — if stopped 

 again and again, after every three joints 

 are formed, until the period when they 

 are wished to produce their pods, an in- 

 crease of crop, at least fourfold, will repay 

 the trouble ; and if several kinds were 

 sown on the same day, this stopping will 

 bring them into bearing in succession, 

 and just at the periods when the crop is 

 desired. Whenever stopping ceases, the 

 pease will flower and set their pods. It 



VOL. II. 



will, however, be necessary to look over 

 the crop occasionally, and remove any 

 stray blossoms that may appear ; for none 

 should be allowed to set until the general 

 crop is wished for. From this a good prac- 

 tical lesson may be learned : the stopping 

 gives strength to the plants and encourage- 

 ment to the roots, so that, when the crop is 

 really wanted, both are in a much better 

 condition to throw strength into the crop 

 than if they were allowed to rush up into 

 blossom at once. In the event, also, of a 

 wish to retard the ripening of a crop to 

 any particular period, timeous stopping- 

 will effect this with greater certainty than 

 repeated sowings made in the usual way. 



Staking is the next operation in cul- 

 ture, and it is of great importance it 

 should be done early, before the stems 

 fall over. Such an untoward circum- 

 stance often ruins an otherwise good crop. 

 Newly transplanted pease, brought for- 

 ward in a slight heat, require this atten- 

 tion at the time they are planted, on ac- 

 count of the shelter afforded them j and 

 pease sown in autumn, as soon as they 

 begin to break through the surface, or 

 even before, demand the same attention. 

 It is of consequence that the supports, 

 whatever they may be, be equal in height 

 to the height the variety attains. Many 

 contrivances have been thought of for 

 supporting this crop, with a view to do 

 away with the not very elegant appear- 

 ance of the stakes. Posts driven in the 

 lines, having wide-meshed netting sus- 

 pended from them, and hanging down 

 both sides of the line, is one of the most 

 feasible plans. Hexagon wire-netting, 

 attached to iron props, has been suggested, 

 and no doubt would do well were expense 

 no consideration. Lines of cord stretched 

 along the rows, and fixed to upright rods, 

 are sometimes used ; but by far the most 

 general is branches of hazel, beech, or 

 other deciduous trees. These, however, 

 are very perishable. Branches of yew, 

 lilac, or privet are the most durable, al- 

 ways excepting the larch, which makes 

 the best of all. Whenever, therefore, the 

 prevailing disease attacks young larches, 

 of from 6 to 1 0 feet in height, to the ex- 

 tent of rendering their cutting down ex- 

 pedient, lose not the chance of securing 

 them. They require little preparation 

 farther than pointing the root end, top- 

 ping them all to the required heights, and 



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