194 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 21, 1908. 
Peas (Culinary) 
For Exhibition. 
It is universally admitted by all that 
the Pea is the most esteemed of all our 
kitchen garden productions. 
During the last few years great strides 
have been made in the selection and im¬ 
provement of varieties, and the wrinkled 
or marrowfat varieties have quite taken 
the place of the round sorts. 
The ground for this valuable crop 
should be prepared in the autumn, or as 
early in the winter months as possible, 
and which should be made quite level. 
Afterwards take out a trench 18 in. wide 
and 12 in. deep, breaking up.the bottom 
with a fork. Fill up the trench with 
good decayed cow and horse manure and 
soil that was taken out of the trench 
(adding at the same time a good dressing 
of superphosphate or bone meal) to with¬ 
in two or three inches of the level, give 
a good sprinkling of soot, which may be 
repeated several times during the season. 
It is'«spiite desirable to have the ground 
in good condition and especially in dry 
seasons, as it will greatly assist to keep 
the ground in a uniform moisture and 
provide rich food for the roots. 
Sowing, 
The first batch may be sown about the 
middle of February in boxes about 24 in. 
long, 12 in. wide, and 4b in. deep, plac¬ 
ing a layer of half-decayed leaves in the 
bottom of the boxes, afterwards filling up 
to within one inch of the top with a com¬ 
post of loam, leaf-soil, and spent Mush¬ 
room bed material, making the . same 
firm. The seed should be placed about 
two inches apart each way, cover the seed 
to the level and strike off, place in gentle 
heat, and give a thorough watering when 
the seedlings are well through; gradually 
harden off, care being taken that the 
plants do not become drawn. The seed 
may also be sown in the centre of the 
prepared trenches; after the whole has 
been raked over, sow the seed in the 
centre of the trench, and afterwards thin 
out to about 6 in. apart, and these may 
be staked with straight, long Hazel 
sticks, allowing two rows to each trench 
15 in. between the rows and 12 in. be¬ 
tween in the rows, and the whole of the 
sticks should be made quite firm. As 
the vine grows, gradually draw same to 
the sticks, removing all side growths as 
they appear; allow about three to four 
weeks from the time the bloom sets to 
when they may be required, marking each 
pod that may contain 10 or 11 Peas. I 
would also add that some varieties re¬ 
quire more time, especially according to 
the seasons. 
Plants that were raised in the boxes 
may be planted out about the beginning 
of April on this system, ^or planted in 
double lines 12 in. apart each way, stak¬ 
ing them at the same time with good 
Hazel sticks, as it will assist to protect 
from cold winds that may occur. Con¬ 
tinue to make successional sowings as re¬ 
quired, and these may be grown on 
trenches that were previously occupied by 
Celery or Leeks. 
Mulching with good short manure is 
very beneficial, and the plants should 
receive a liberal supply of water, and 
syringing on hot days is of good value. 
Peas for exhibition should be well 
filled, of good colour, fresh, and of fine 
appearance. 
‘ W. J. Pritchard. 
Elstree. 
--- 
Burnham Beeches Threatened. 
Burnham Beeches, a real fragment of 
old British forest, are threatened with de¬ 
struction b.y Cryptococcus F agi, and 
measures are to be taken to try to stay 
the ravages of the insects. 
Evolution of the Sweet Pea. 
A generation ago there were only about 
half a dozen varieties of Sweet Peas in 
existence, and they were known by their 
colours; to-day there are about a couple 
of hundred, all more or less different, and 
of almost every possible shade. But it is 
not only in their numbers, says the “By¬ 
stander,” that the modern varieties differ 
from the old. They are far larger; they 
often grow in groups of four on a stem, 
instead of merely in pairs; they are more 
beautiful in form, some of the later 
comers being exquisitely waved. 
- Q. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS. —Competitors must 
write -on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
artiole sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduoe, in any wayj any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making *he award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
follr wing date of issue.OSntries received later 
th-tn Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, ami we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “Thos. Francis” for the article 
on “Tne Cultivation of Neriues,” page 178. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize 
was awarded to “Argyrites” for the article 
on “Caladium argyrites” : and another to 
“W.F. Glover” for the article on “Sideritis 
hyssopifolia,” page 180. 
- Achimenes - 
v —" In Baskets. 
Although Achimenes make delightful 
little pot plants, their fullest beauty i, 
revealed when they are grown in basket: 
•and suspended in the conservatory oi 
greenhouse. In this form of culture 
there are no great difficulties to sur 
mount, and a mass of bloom is the re¬ 
sult. 
Achimenes have long, slender, catkin- 
like tubers or corms, by the division oi 
which they may be propagated, as well a: 
by cuttings made of tops. They love 
heat, shade, and moisture during the 
growing season, but when the flowers be¬ 
gin to expand, if desirable, they may be 
gradually inured to withstand the tem¬ 
perature of a somewhat cool, but close 
greenhouse. The soil in which they 
thrive best is a mixture of peat, leal 
mould, well-decomposed manure, anc 
sand in about equal parts, with the ad 
dition of a little loam. In order to mam 
tain a succession of these beautifu 
flowers, a few of the scaly tubers shock 
be planted monthly, from the beginning 
of February until the end of April. 
When required for hanging baskets 
several varieties of different colour; 
judiciously mixed in each basket product 
the finest effect when in flower, but ioi 
pot culture I prefer the colours kepi 
separate. Achimenes produce the bes 
effect in suspended baskets, but, in orde: 
to get them to display their flowers to the 
greatest advantage, the baskets, after be¬ 
ing properly filled and planted, should 
be placed bottom upwards ; the plants will 
push through the soil and grow erect. 
As they advance in growth the strongest 
will be benefited by having their points 
pinched off, which tends to make the 
plants more massive through the produc¬ 
tion of laterals. Owing to the check thus 
received, the weaker-growing kinds are 
enabled to keep on a more equal footing 
with the more vigorous growers. When 
the plants show signs of flowering, the 
baskets may be hung up in their propei 
places; their bottoms will be well fur¬ 
nished, and the gentle curve upwards, 
which the shoots are sure to take, serves 
to bring the bloom more plainly into 
view. 
When not treated as basket plants, 
Achimenes are usually grown in shallow 
pans, by which means a greater display 
is obtained than in pots. Treated either 
as pot or pan plants, they should not. 
however, be placed in their flowering posi¬ 
tions when first started into growth; or 
the contrary, when some 2 or 3 inches 
high, they should be transplanted, se 
lecting for removal such as appear to be 
about equal in vigour; otherwise, if weal 
and strong plants are taken indiscrimin 
ately, when they come into flower, they 
are apt to have a patched and ragged ap¬ 
pearance. 
Achimenes being deciduous, will, soor 
after the flowers are over, cast theii 
leaves, and their stems will decay. Dur¬ 
ing this stage the supply of water musl 
be gradually diminished until they r are 
quite dormant; then the supply should 
entirely cease; and the pans or basket; 
