Arthur T. Boddingt or 3ii2\ "est 4th St.. New ^ ork Cit>^ 



A Few Hints on the Successful Growingf of Sweet Peas 



BY AN EXPERT 



l':^'^L't^,A°;'y.ToTS-..^ I..n.l i,. ...ccciv.- year.. .( your g„<.™ i, s,„„.l , 



'¥i;rdri;.'r"'^".l;:; .any .pr.r.ra,.,v ;„ .1,. .... 



sarily in a single row, rather alternately, viz. . • • • 



Seed of llie black-seeded varieties can be sown 

 as soon as the frost is out of the ground, provi<k< 

 it is not too wet, the white-seeded varieties should 

 not be sown until the ground is warm and dry. 



Before sowing, pulverize your soil in the trench 

 about three inches deep. Sow seeds, in a double 

 row alx)ut ten inches apart, about two inches below 

 the surface and tread down firmly. 



For training the vines, use either "brush 

 (that is branches of birch or other light material) 

 or large mesh wire netting held by posts, the brush 

 or the netting should run about five feet above the 

 ground. 



It is as well to stake, brush or erect 

 your wire netting before the seedlings get 

 too tall, better perhaps when seed is 

 sown. 



Dry and hot weather affect Sweet Peas 

 very quickly. They should be watered 

 very freciucntly and thoroughly, and the 

 application of iicjuid manure given once a 

 week. A good heavy mulch of long straw 

 manure covering the ground around the 

 Sweet Peas should be applied as soon as 

 warm weather sets in. This prevents the ground 

 from drying out and keeps the soil cool. 



The tlowers should be cut as often as possible 

 and all seed pods removed as soon as they appear. 

 "By attending to this properly, it greatly lengthens 

 the life of the vine and the flowering season. 



A partial shade during the hottest parts of the 

 day is very essential to secure the 

 best color in the blooms, it also 

 protects the vines from the strong 

 rays of the sun. If possible to 

 protect the lower growth of the 

 Peas, this should be done also. 



If Sweet Peas should be at- 

 tacked by the green, black or 



white fly, they should be thor- 

 oughly sprayed with one of the 

 ^several Nicot'een preparations that 

 .;are offered on page 142. 



The greatest enemy of young 



Sweet Peas is the cut-worm, and they 



are so destructive as to prevent some 



people from having a good stand of 



Sweet Peas at any time. They usually 



take the young shoots as soon as they 



appear, and while some plants will send out 



new shoots and grow again after being cut off, 



most ot them are cut too far down and are ruined. 



A sprinkling of slaked lime over the row or watering 



with lime water helps to keep out the cut- worms. 



A handful of grass dipped in a solution of Paris 



green will sometimes attract the worms, the poison 



killing them. 



FARMOGERM, which we offer among the 



fertilizers on i)age 142, is an excellent agent for the 



successful growing of Sweet Peas, if the instruc- 

 tions for the use of this article are carefully fol 



lowed. 



One of the most necessary things in the culti- 

 vation of Sweet P< as is the proper feeding of the 

 plants, when they are in full growth a change of 

 ^'food" is particularly essential. When they start 

 into bloom a good application of Scotch soot, ap- 

 plied in liquid form, improves the color of flower 

 and foliage to a remarkable degree. 



vou fiiul this necessary 



of the year) if this can 



d rotted 



fill with 

 of three- 



, the soil should 

 be done ; good 



Auroi-a Spencer. 



■,cription see page 33; 



