November 15, 1888. 3 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
439 
M ANY practical gardeners and competent amateurs hesitate to 
communicate their experience because they feel it is of a 
■common-place nature, and that the narration would neither display 
their erudition nor scientific accomplishments. That is a mistake. 
Some years ago a gentleman desired what his gardener was not 
producing for him—good Grapes. The man thought himself, and en¬ 
deavoured to convey, that he Avas a scientific gardener, and discoursed 
learnedly by way of explanation about the principles on which his 
practice was based, not omitting sundry references to the action of 
oxygen and carbonic acid gas on vegetation. He was, in fact 
talking the master over by a process of mystification, but was met 
with the stinging retort, “ I hear what you say and wish you to 
understand that I would rather have less gas and more Grapes.” 
That represents the desire of the vast majority of owners of 
gardens. They want good produce of various kinds in season, and 
■often as much out of season as means allow, and sometimes more 
than they will permit. This latter is an unfortunate contingency, 
and beyond doubt it would be a great advantage if the true 
resources of gardens were appreciated by their owners, as this 
would in many instances result in a modification of expectations, 
■and a man who is worth his salt will strive to the utmost of his 
power to make the garden of a considerate master both pleasurable 
and profitable. He cannot do this without going into the simplici¬ 
ties of his vocation, for these form the basis of success. 
Indoors and out and at all seasons what are known as simple 
■duties must be performed, or satisfactory results cannot be achieved. 
What is more simple, for instance, than sowing Peas ? yet what is 
more important than a full supply of pods for gathering at the 
■earliest possible date ? and what more disappointing than being a 
week or ten days later than a neighbour who grows them under 
■similar conditions, but differs in his methods ? Years ago the good 
eld kitchen gardeners rarely failed in the first early Pea crop by 
simply sowing in November, but some advanced gardeners of the 
present day appear to think the old practice obsolete, hence they 
sow in pots in frames, “ gradually harden the plants,” then plant 
them out and shelter them as if they were so many bedding plants. 
No doubt the plan of first making young Pea plants tender then 
“ hardening ” them answers or it would not be practised and advo. 
cated ; but this does not prove the failure of the old method of 
sowing in the open and letting the plants assume a hardy character 
from the first ; and though a few rows may fail now and then, if 
too advanced when a sharp spring frost occurs, those raised in pots 
and planted are liable to be similarly injured or destroyed ; and it 
is an open question if more of these are not damaged than of 
the others that have passed through the winter in the open ground. 
Some gardeners who have been “ brought up ” where every 
•convenience in the way of frames and other glazed structures 
were provided, have arrived at the conclusion that it is of “ no 
use sowing Peas in the autumn nowadays,” and therefore raise all 
the plants for their early crops “ under glass,” just as there are 
other men who are firm in the belief that the days of successful 
Peach culture on open walls are gone for ever “ because the seasons 
have altered.” Are these propositions, as the lawyers say, true in 
substance and in fact ? Are there not gardeners a hundred miles 
north of London, and even more than twice that distance, who 
seldom fail to have good crops of Peaches on garden walls, the 
fruit ripening well, and in quality equal to that grown under 
No. 438 .—Von. XVII., Third Series. 
glass ? And are there not other gardeners who sow Peas in 
November with as much confidence as their fathers had that in 
due time good crops would be ready for gathering during the last 
week in May or early in June, according to the season—crops even 
more abundant as a rule than those borne by plants raised in pots, 
according to the modern course of procedure ? 
As to the failure of Peaches outdoors, it is not the “ seasons ” 
as a rule, but insects, that lead to failure—aphides at the outset 
retarding the growth then, which is equal to a loss of time that 
may be counted by weeks, and can never be regained ; then in hot 
summers comes the scourge of red spider, arresting growth, and 
depriving the trees of juices that are essential to their health and 
fruitfulness. Is not this shortening of the season at both ends 
sufficient to account for the failing of Peaches on walls ? The 
•‘seasons are altered” with a vengeance, but altered by insects 
that were permitted to increase by the forbearance of man, who 
did not see the importance of having recourse to preventive 
measures, but preferred to wait till he had something to kill—that 
“something” in the meantime ruining the trees. All that is very 
simple, but the more it is thought about the more clearly it will be 
found to be true; and if the fact was not appreciated before, 
evidence is at once afforded of the tendency of even generally 
close observers, and in many ways able men, to overlook simpli¬ 
cities. These cannot be ignored with impunity, for the neglect of 
small matters at a critical time has often far-reaching effects, and a 
penalty has usually to be paid in some form or other for the 
omission, sooner or later, trifling or serious, according to results 
and the special circumstances surrounding each case. 
November sown Peas fail if raised too early, and also if the work 
is unduly deferred. “Do not sow before the 5th of the month nor 
after the 20th ” was the advice of one of the best kitchen gardeners, 
who during thirty years of practice was able to say he had never 
failed in his early Pea crop. If sown before the date first named the 
plants are liable to get too forward ; if sown after, and a term of 
cold and wet weather sets in, much of the seed is apt to decay. 
The method of sowing is also important. It was pitiable to see 
a man the other day trampling the soil of a south border into 
semi slush, the earth adhering to boots and implements like so 
much birdlime. Yet he was sowing Peas, and if the crop fails, as 
it may, it would be curious to hear from the cultivator the cause 
to which he will attribute the failure. 
There are only two ways of sowing Peas at this season of the year 
that indicate good workmanship, and can be trusted to answer the pur¬ 
pose in view. One is to dig the land on a dry day, sowing as the work 
proceeds ; the other to make the drills and sow from a wide board, 
pointing up the compressed surface after the board is turned over. 
Nothing could be simpler than that, but the simplicity is not to be 
laughed at. The great point to secure is the free passage of water 
and air through the soil, and the little matters alluded to contribute 
to that end, while the rough trampling plan frustrates it. Bearing 
that in mind, the habit of treading the drills for Peas that may be 
practised in summer with impunity, is in most soils, and certainly in 
all of a retentive nature, a plan to be avoided in November. The 
drills should be level undoubtedly, but light and porous so that the 
rain can freely filter through instead of being retained where it 
could not possibly do good, and might do considerable harm. 
One or two other precautions are taken by gardeners^ who are 
successful nine years out of ten with the crop in question. If the 
ground is wetter than they wish, yet the date late and the work 
must be done (through the possibility that by waiting longer would 
be to fare worse) they spread half an inch or so of dry soil for the 
Peas to rest on, and cover them with a similar layer before levelling 
in the natural soil. That may appear a trifling matter to refer to, 
but failure is no trifle, and the simple provision mentioned has 
often been a chief factor in the success accomplished. Another 
little matter, notwithstanding its simplicity, is worth noting for 
the benefit of the young and inexperienced, as these are always with 
No. 2094 .—Vol. LXXIX., Old Sibies. 
