120 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 
and shutters so that frost may be excluded, but in 
the daytime on all favorable occasions should receive 
all the air and light possible. As the season ad- 
vances the sash should be removed entirely during 
mild spells of weather, protection being given only 
on frosty nights, thus ensuring hardy plants that 
will stand early planting to the open ground. Planting 
to the open ground takes place in the vicinity of New- 
port around the 15th of April. With the growing of the 
plants in pots it is possible to follow the practice of giv- 
ing to each plant sufficient space for its development by 
planting certain distances apart. 
Xo superiority can be claimed for the single row over 
the double row system. I prefer to plant in double rows, 
one foot between the rows and one foot or more between 
the plants, the double rows being at least six feet 
apart. Before plant- 
ing, the ground is dug 
over one spade deep 
and a light dressing of 
s u p e r-phosphate ap- 
plied and raked in. In 
raking the ground over 
slightly hollow the 
ground along where 
the rows are to be 
planted so that the 
roots may receive the 
full benefit from sub- 
sequent waterings and 
feedings. In planting 
remove the crock from 
the ball of the plant 
a n d disentangle the 
roots to some extent, 
make holes of ample 
depth to straighten the 
roots out in, and firm 
the ground well around 
each plant. Some short 
brush should be placed 
around each plant to 
give them something 
to cling to and keep 
them from being blown 
about with the wind. 
The ground should 
be kept well cultivated 
around the plants, and 
this will be all the at- 
tention required for 
some time, as growth at first is slow. After the plants 
have reached a height of one foot staking will have to be 
attended to. Brush is excellent for this purpose when the 
Sweet Peas are allowed to grow naturally, but under the 
intensive system of culture it has been found more con- 
venient to use bamboo stakes. In carrying out this plan 
strong stakes are driven in firmly at the ends of each row 
and at intervals between if the row is a long one. If 
grown on the double row system, cross-pieces are nailed 
to the stakes, and wires stretched tautly lengthwise of 
the row are fastened to the cross-pieces. To the wires 
bamboo stakes are fastened, spaced about six inches 
apart. When the Sweet Peas have grown to a length 
to permit of tying in, two or three of the strongest 
growths are selected and tied one to each bamboo stake. 
As growth continues they are given a tie in at weeklv 
intervals and all side shoots kept pinched out so that the 
energy of the plant is confined to the main growths taken 
tip. [f the ground has been well prepared no feeding 
A vase of Yarrawe (early flowering 
the Sweet Pea can be 
should be necessary until the plants have been blooming 
freely, when liquid manure applied once a week will keep 
them growing freely and producing good long-stemmed 
sprays. Liquid manure made from cow, horse or sheep 
manure is preferable to chemical fertilizers for this pur- 
pose. Thorough waterings should be given during dry 
spells and should always precede a feeding with liquid 
manure. During dry hot weather spraying of the foliage 
is also very beneficial, helping to counteract the hardening 
up of the growth and shortening of stem, caused by such 
conditions. The ground should be kept well cultivated, 
being loosened up as soon as workable after each water- 
ing and feeding or rain to conserve the moisture, fre- 
quent cultivation being more beneficial than mulching 
when the ground has been deeply trenched. Varieties 
which burn or lose color, which include those of the 
orange or salmon shade 
and some of the crim- 
son, should be shaded 
with cheese cloth dur- 
ing bright sunny con- 
ditions. 
Xot having experi- 
enced any trouble from 
diseases of any kind, 1 
cannot say much on 
this point, but would 
advise a change <>f 
ground on their ap- 
pearance. 
Aphis or green-fly 
rarely proves trouble- 
some on well grown 
plants, but can easily 
be checked if on its 
first appearance the 
plants are sprayed with 
a solution of some of 
the tobacco com- 
pounds. 
In choosing flowers 
for exhibiting o n 1 y 
those in their prime 
should be chosen ; 
flowers past their best 
will be lacking in color, 
and unopen flowers de- 
tract from the appear- 
ance of the sprays. The 
flowers should have 
stood in water for at 
least four hours before being packed to carry any dis- 
tance. On taking the bunches out of the vases to be 
packed, the stems of each bunch should be wrapped in 
moist absorbent paper and the whole bunch wrapped in 
oil-proof or wax paper. In packing use boxes of a depth 
sufficient to contain one layer and just sufficiently tight to 
prevent any movement. 
Varieties most suitable for growing for exhibition are 
those of strong growth, producing flowers that excel in 
length of stem, size of bloom, and the number of flowers 
to a spray. As new varieties displace older ones, there 
is a constant change taking place from year to year in 
the best to grow for this purpose, some of the most 
popular at present being: 
Constance Hinton, King White, Hercules, Elfrida 
Pearson, Dobbies Cream, Royal Purple, King Manoel, 
Rosebelle, John Ingman. Mrs. C. W. Breadmore, Elsie 
Herbert, Wedgewood, Maud Holmes, R. F. Felton, Lav- 
ender, Geo. Herbert, Loyalty. Jessie Cuthbertson, Edith 
variety ) . showing hi 
sed as a cut flower. 
effectively 
