OBSERVATIONS ON THE GARDEN PEA. 
65 
improvement both in the quantity and quality of the produce; 
and a more free and perfect circulation of air being secured, 
this would in a great measure prevent the mildew, a disease to 
which the garden pea is very subject in confined situations: the 
intermediate spaces between the rows of peas could be cropped 
with the other common culinary vegetables, and these would 
be benefited, rather than otherwise, by the partial shade de¬ 
rived from the peas. 
It is a well-known fact that the excrementitious slime from 
peas acts as a poison to crops of peas which may follow, but is 
food for plants of different habits and properties; and so it is 
with all other vegetable productions: hence the utility of rota¬ 
tion cropping. If the mode of culture were to be pursued which 
I have recommended, the object sought by rotation cropping 
would in a great measure be obtained; and by leaving the 
spaces intended for rows of peas, the other parts of the ground 
could be all under crop, which would not be such an eyesore as 
to see a large piece of ground lying idle until the last sowing 
of peas. I need not say lying idle, for I have often observed 
a very thriving crop of weeds, seeding in all their glory, and 
preparing the germs of a progeny for years to come, and thereby 
increasing the labour of the gardener, who has generally more 
to do than he can well accomplish. 
The varieties of the garden pea are numerous, and differ 
materially in their mode of growth, quality, productiveness, and 
time of coming into use. I have made a selection of a few of 
the varieties in most common cultivation, which I will give with 
their synonymes : — 
1. Early Frame. Syn. True early Frame; Early dwarf 
Frame; Early May; Very early Frame; Perkins early Frame ; 
Early nimble; Masons double-blossomed; Double dwarf Frame; 
Early Nicholas ; Young's very early; Superfine double early ; 
Russell's fine early ; Dwarf Abong ; Master s Hotspur ; Early 
Hotspur; Golden Hotspur. — This variety is generally sown for 
the first crop, as it is more hardy than some of the finer va¬ 
rieties, and comes sooner into use; it grows between four and 
five feet high, is a moderate bearer, and of good quality. 
2. Early May Sugar. This variety grows between eighteen 
inches and two feet high; the pods are large, broad, and well 
filled; it is an abundant bearer, of excellent quality, and comes 
into use about the same time as the Early Frame. 
VOL. v. NO. IV. i 
