94 
D. M. FERRY & CO S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 
SWEET PEAS 
One ounce of seed is sufficient to plant a single row of 50 feet 
(Lathy rus odoratua) No garden is too small for a row of Sweet Peas and no estate, however extensive or magnificent, should 
fail to include many varieties of this most popular flower. Its long blooming season usually extends from early summer until 
very hot dry weather and no other climber equals it for cutting, either for use in bouquets or for table decoration. 
In describing varieties, by “standard” is meant the wide petal at the top of the flower; the “wings” are the two petals below. 
The Grand; flora or large flowering type, owing to its vigor of growth, its freedom of blooming and extremely wide range 
of colors is well suited for most conditions of growth and location. 
The Spencers are of exceptionally large size, the standard and wings waved or frilled and the general effect remarkably 
graceful and attractive. The plants are of vigorous growth and remain in bloom for a longer time than the (band i flora sorts 
The Spencers are decidedly shy seeders, hence the price will doubtless always be higher than for the older types. 
The early flowering division in both the Grandflora and the Spencers is composed of varieties that are most desirable for 
forcing under glass or for early flowering out of doors. Our list contains many varieties of exceptional merit. 
Culture. Early in spring make a trench three to four inches deep in rich, mellow soil, so arranged that no water can 
stand in it and plant the seed in the bottom, covering at first only one inch deep. Sweet Peas, particularly the white seeded 
sorts, are often a little difficult to start. If the soil is too dry they will remain a long time without germinating; if it is too wet 
and cold they will not sprout at all. In soils at all heavy, or composed largely of clay, put about one inch of sand in the bottom 
of the trench and sow the seed on this, covering with more sand. Cover the row with a board to shed the rain and protect 
the soil from the hot sun but remove this as soon as the young plants appear. 
When the plants are two inches 
high, cultivate and as they grow 
gradually fill up the trench. When 
the plants are about five inches high 
it is desirable to furnish some support 
for the vines to run upon, preferably 
a wire netting firmly supported by 
stakes to prevent sagging, but strings 
or brush are often used with satisfac¬ 
tory results. 
Where plantings are made as ear¬ 
ly as possible deep spading or plow¬ 
ing, the placing or manure deeply in 
the soil to draw the roots downward, 
a sunny situation with the rows 
running where possible north and 
south, the removal in the early stages 
of growth of all but two branches 
and the thinning of the plants eight 
to twelve inches apart—these con¬ 
ditions are usually essential for 
the largest and most finely formed 
blossoms. 
The roots should not be allowed 
to become too dry. Water applied 
thoroughly once 'or twice a week, 
preferably eafly in the morning or in 
the evening, is usually better than 
light sprinkling more frequently. 
The blooms should be picked be¬ 
fore they form pods or the plants 
will soon stop flowering. 
Fall Planting. A better growth 
of vines and earlier blooming often 
result from planting seed in the fall 
instead of early spring. If a well 
drained sandy soil is selected this 
method may usually be depended 
upon to give satisfactory results even 
in the Northern states. 
Preparation of the soil is the same 
as that for spring planting. The seeds 
should be sown about an inch or two 
apart in rows about three inches deep, 
and firmly covered with soil which 
should be somewhat ridged above the 
rows to improve drainage. The most 
important point in fall planting of 
Sweet Peas is to plant late enough so 
that plants will not appear above the 
surface of the soil before freezing 
weat her sets in. Plantings are usually 
made in the latitude of Detroit from 
the 1st to the 15th of November. 
After the ground freezes the rows 
should be covered with a mulch of 
litter or manure. Upon approach of 
warm weather in the spring the rows 
should be examined and if plants 
have started the mulch may be ro¬ 
ndo ved either wholly or in part* leaving 
it between the rows or near at hand 
so that it may be replaced in case of 
a cold wave or sudden change of 
temperature. 
For the aphis or plant louse, 
spraying with solutions of some to 
bacco extract or whale-oil soap is 
usu illy eff ective; and for the Red 
Spider, which also causes trouble at 
times, spr aying with pure water is 
usually sufficient. A frequent change 
of location has also been found im¬ 
portant. Spencer Sweet Peas 
