I then prepared a place in the garden to be in readiness for them 
when all danger from frost would be over. The ground was dug 
deeply and well-rotted stable manure spaded in. In England the 
ground is made ready in the fall by digging trenches and leaving them 
open, so that the frost will get well into the soil, sweetening it and kill- 
ing all insects. The Shakers of Lebanon also do this. I have never 
seen such an abundance of fine sweet peas as they raise, but, of course, 
the climate of Maine is unusually congenial to them. On April 20th 
I put my little plants in the open ground, placing each one 6 inches 
apart. Each plant I trained on a single stout string. The strings 
were fastened to a heavy wire which ran along the ground and to one 
which ran across at the height of about 7 feet, and here I might sug- 
gest that if the labels are fastened to the high wire instead of the low 
one they do not become muddy, and remain clear and legible through 
all the watering that is so necessary. 
A trench was dug and filled with manure about 6 inches from 
the row of plants and into this all watering was done. Some chicken 
manure got mixed with my fertilizer in some way and got into my 
trenches. It burned beyond recovery six of my strongest plants. It 
was most unfortunate, but is quite likely to happen to any amateur. 
In training sweet peas up the strings, pinch off all the shoots and 
tie with raffia. Do not allow them to cling. This sounds like a great 
deal of work, but a few moments every other day will accomplish it. 
My plants were given liquid manure only four times. I think 
the most important part is to keep them well watered. If they get 
thoroughly dried out they never seem to recover. Stretch burlap or 
cheese cloth over the rows when they are blossoming if the sun is very 
hot. This year I am taking my own seeds from the strong plants and 
hope to be able to tell you next season that I have been successful. 
As to the varieties, I will only mention those that I have tried 
myself and found particularly strong growers. King White, a new 
sweet pea of American origin, is especially satisfactory as are the old 
favorites, Apple Blossom, Spencer and Blanche Ferry Spencer, 
Martha Washington and King Edward Spencer, White Spencer and 
John Ingman, Florence Nightingale, Irish Belle and Senator Spencer. 
The Tennant Spencer should have special mention, being a wonderful 
mauve, which, if grown the new way, produces enormous sprays of blos- 
soms. Arranged in a vase with maidenhair fern the effect is as beau- 
tiful as the cattleya orchid. If any of you saw my sweet peas that I 
exhibited to the Club at our July meeting, I am sure there is nothing that 
I need say in defense of this modern method of growing, or in arguing 
that all this trouble is well worth while. 
Edna G. Crawford, 
The Rye Garden Club. 
