February, 1 !> 1 5 
T II E 
2 !) 
G A R 1) E N M A G AZIN E 
\ - 
the young plants are benefited 
by the change to fresh material. 
If carefully handled no loss 
will ensue. 
PLANTING OUT 
A well drained piece of 
ground, sheltered to some ex- 
tent from the strong cold winds 
of early spring should be 
chosen. Good results can be 
had by preparing the ground 
in the spring using well rotted 
manure along with bone and 
wood ashes and taking care to 
firm the ground well as trench- 
ing proceeds, but where pos- 
sible preparations should be 
laid in the fall by trenching 
to a depth of two and one- 
half to three feet, thoroughly 
enriching (especially in the 
two lower feet) with manure, bone 
and wood ashes. At this season the 
same procedure should be followed, of 
course, where preparations have not already- 
been made. Although a laborious operation 
it pays to trench the whole ground rather 
than only that portion where the row is to 
be planted, as the larger the body of trenched 
soil, the better the moisture will be retained. 
Where only one row is to be planted the 
trenching should be done at least four feet 
wide the length of the row. Either horse or 
cow manure can be used but a mixture of 
equal parts of each is superior to either used 
alone. Garden refuse, clippings from lawns, 
edgings from walks, etc., are valuable for 
digging into the subsoil to improve it. 
In the vicinity of Newport, R. I., planting 
out is done about the middle of April. If 
the plants have been well hardened, no 
harm will result even though frosts should 
be experienced after planting out. After 
digging the ground over a light dressing of 
super-phosphate worked into the surface 
when raking off will prove beneficial in 
giving the plants a good start. I prefer 
to plant in double rows, one foot between 
the rows and six to eighteen inches between 
the plants, with 
at least six feet 
between each 
double row. 
Slightly hollow 
the ground 
where the rows 
come, before 
planting, to se- 
cure a water 
catch. 
The distance 
between the 
plants is deter- 
mined by the 
strength of 
growth of the 
variety to be 
planted . 
Strong growers 
„ from which 
Some growers start several seeds in .. , 
a pot and thin out to one or four three shootS to 
and transplant later the plant are 
The ideal in sweet 
pea culture. Flowers 
this size are possible 
under high cultivation 
taken up require H eighteen inches; 
medium growers H from which two 
shoots are taken up, twelve inches; 
and weak grow- ers from which 
one shoot is taken, six inches. Remove the 
crock and disentangle the roots to some 
extent on planting and firm the ground well 
about the young plants on setting out. 
Varieties inclined to scald or lose color 
should be planted together to facilitate 
shading with cheese cloth when in bloom. 
Place short brush about the plants and if 
the position is an exposed one a windbreak 
of some kind had better be erected to shield 
the plants from the strong winds of early 
spring. Keeping the ground cultivated 
about the young plants will be all the atten- 
tion required until they reach a height of a 
foot or so and staking will have to be con- 
sidered. 
IMPORTANCE OF STAKING 
Having tried out the English system of 
training to bamboo stakes I can with con- 
fidence recommend it as superior to all 
others for growing prize sweet peas. Strong 
stakes are driven in at the ends of each row 
and at intervals between if the row is a 
long one. An eighteen-inch cross piece is 
nailed a foot from the ground, a twelve-inch 
strip half way to the top and a six-inch one 
at the top of each stake. The stakes should 
stand about eight feet clear of the ground 
and be braced in some manner to stand the 
strain of wires stretched taut lengthwise 
of the row and fastened to the ends of the 
cross pieces. Bamboo stakes eight to 
ten feet long are fastened to the wires 
spaced six inches apart, and to these 
the shoots of the sweet peas are tied, 
one shoot to each bamboo stake. All 
the shoots should be allowed to 
grow until they have reached a 
height of a foot or so, when the 
strongest should be chosen for 
tying in, all the rest being re- 
moved. Later breaks coming from 
the bottom, and all side growths 
irom the leader are pinched out. The ten- 
drils are best nipped off in the young state, 
as if allowed to grow they cause considerable 
trouble through clinging to the 
growths and the stems of the 
flowers. Tying in will have to be 
attended to about once a week, 
raffia being best for that purpose. 
Be careful not to tie too tightly 
as in this system of culture the 
vine develops to quite a large size. 
WATERING AND FEEDING 
Thorough waterings must be 
given whenever required, followed 
by a loosening up of the surface 
with the hoe. With a deeply pre- 
pared ground, keeping the surface 
well cultivated is much better for 
the wellbeing of the plants than 
putting on a mulch. Spray- 
ing the foliage and damping 
the ground between the rows 
is very beneficial on hot days, 
and especially on a hot sunny 
day following a period of dull weather. Flag- 
ging often takes place after such conditions 
and the plants should be kept plumped up 
by an occasional spraying overhead until 
the balance between root and top is re- 
stored. If allowed to flag a hardening of 
the vine takes place and short stems soon 
result. The careful grower will not trust 
to the eye to detect a limp condition of the 
foliage. 
If the ground has been well enriched no 
feeding will be necessary until the plants 
are blooming freely; then liquid manure 
water applied once a week, will keep them 
growing strongly, and tends to prolong the 
flowering period. Manure water made 
from poultry 
droppings is ex- 
cellent for this 
purpose but ow- 
ing to its strength 
should be used 
withcare, diluting 
it well before ap- 
plying. Potash 
can be given in 
the form of wood 
ashes scattered 
on the surface and 
watered in; or a 
t i r r How seeds are sown in pots 
half ounce ol for exhibition blooms. They 
sulphate or mt- are of course covered lightly 
