160 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
sunny border. Sow the seeds thinly in September to produce 
plants for flowering in May, or in April for summer blooming. 
Thin the seedlings out to 3 or 6in. apart when an inch or so 
high. 
Lathyrus (Sweet Pea). — In the Sweet Pea (L. odoratus) 
we have one of the most beautiful and charming of hardy 
garden flowers. There are indeed few gardens in which of 
late years it is not grown. It appeals to the owner of a 
back garden, an allotment, villa, or the more princely style 
of gardens, as a really beautiful flower to grow to decorate 
borders and to yield a plethora of lovely blossoms for cutting 
for the embellishment of the dwelling-rooms. It not only 
possesses the merits of a great range of lovely tints in its 
blossoms, but delicious fragrance also, and so it is, and no 
doubt will continue to be for a very long time, one of the 
most popular garden flowers in cultivation. Another good 
point in its favour, it is easy to grow. It seems equally 
at home clothing a bare fence in a back garden, growing in 
stately groups in the borders of large gardens, or in the 
orthodox row to yield flowers for cutting. While it will endure 
a rough and ready code of treatment, it is one of those popular 
flowers that will well repay for generous treatment. 
If to be grown in groups, and this is the most effective way 
for border culture, dig out holes 2ft. wide and the same in 
depth. If the natural soil is a good loam, fork up the sub- 
soil, add six inches of rotten manure, then fill the remainder 
of the hole to within two inches of the top with two parts of 
soil and one of rotten manure. Next add a handful each of 
superphosphate and kainit, and fork this in. Should the 
soil be sandy, use rotten cow manure for the bottom of the 
hole, and fill the hole with equal parts of loam, ordinary soil 
and cow manure, adding artificials also as in the previous 
case. If a heavy clay, fork up the subsoil and mix road grit 
and horse manure with it; put six inches of decayed manure 
in the bottom, and then fill the remaining space with two 
parts of loam and one of manure, with the addition of the 
artificials. The holes should be three or more feet apart. If 
to be grown in rows dig out trenches i8in. to 2ft. wide and 
2ft. deep, and prepare the soil as advised for the holes. 
In this case apply the quantity of artificials advised to every 
lineal yard of trench. The sites should, if possible, be pre- 
pared thus in autumn and winter, so that the soil may get sweet 
and well settled. This provides a good pabulum for the roots 
as well as a generous diet for sustenance in summer. As 
previously mentioned, Sweet Peas may be grown in a more 
rough and ready way, but the results are not satisfactory. 
The next question is sowing the seeds. Some make a practice 
