146 FOURTH NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW 
about the end of February or the beginning of March; and the surest way to 
get a good percentage of germination is to sow the seed about a half-inch deep 
in sand. 
CHIPPING THE SEED. 
Seed of all the reds, crimson or scarlet sorts will germinate quicker and 
more surely if a small piece of the hard seed coat is cut off. Do this with a sharp 
knife on the side opposite the bud or growing point. This chipping enables the 
seed to soak up moisture and may well be practised on all the colors, though it 
is more essential to the colors mentioned. 
In a temperature of fifty-five to sixty degrees, the seed should germinate in 
about a week, and must then be potted in soil, or planted out in boxes to grow 
along in a temperature of about 55 degrees, until weather conditions will allow 
of out-door planting. This out-door planting must be done as early as possible, 
and the plants protected at nights from frost. A good way to protect the 
plants in the row is to nail two boards together, so as to form an inverted V 
and set it over the plants at night until danger from hard frost is past. 
Do not despair of raising good Sweet Peas if you are without a greenhouse, 
or even a cold frame ; much may be accomplished by a Uttle forethought and a 
little ingenuity. Figure 4 on page 90 shows a flat twenty-four inches long 
by twelve inches broad. It takes up but two square feet of room, and may be 
set in a house window. It is easily moved from place to place, holds about one 
hundred plants in paper pots (which are four inches deep) and will give the 
plants plenty of room until they can be planted out. Now, these plants are 
enough to plant a single row one hundred feet in length, or a double row fifty 
feet long, which is as much as many people can handle. Further, they will 
bloom longer and give superior flowers to any that may be planted closer; in 
fact, a good sturdy plant set out in fairly rich soil will fill the space if planted 
two feet apart. 
The question may be asked, why go to this trouble of sowing seed inside 
in sand and transplanting afterwards, when we can sow outside in the open 
ground? The reason is: first, to ensure germination; secondly, to develop a 
healthy, sturdy root system before the plants make much top-growth; and, 
thirdly, because that great teacher, experience, has taught us that it is the 
better method, and the only sure way of getting satisfactory results. 
PREPARATION OF THE SOIL 
The Sweet Pea is not a fussy plant as to the exact nature of the soil, so long 
as it is sweet and wholesome, and contains a good measure of fertility. Septem- 
ber or October are, perhaps, the ideal months for soil preparation, but if your 
ground was not made ready last fall, dig it over as deeply as possible, without 
incorporating too much of the infertile subsoil. This depth seldom exceeds 
one foot. Add a heay>^ dressing of well rotted farm-yard manure, and thor- 
oughly mLx it with the whole mass of soil. Don't put the manure in the bottom, 
