February  6,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OP  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
125 
Fortunately  the  Pea  transplants  with  ease  and  safety  ;  hence  those  with 
but  limited  means  may  gain  time  by  simply  sowing  the  seeds  in 
ordinary  cutting  boxes,  choosing  for  soil  an  open  but  good  loam .  Place  in 
a  warm  house  until  the  plants  are  well  up,  then  transfer  to  a  cool  house, 
where  growth,  if  slow,  will  at  least  be  sturdy  and  safe.  Mase  the  sowing 
any  time  during  February,  and  bear  in  mind  that  nothing  whatever  is 
gained  by  planting  in  cold  soil  too  early. 
How  to  Treat  the  Plants. 
For  the  earliest  crop  a  south  border  will,  of  course,  be  chosen,  the 
soil  no  doubt  having  been  turned  over  in  the  autumn,  and  if  needed  a 
dressing  of  decayed  manure  applied  then.  The  Pea,  however,  provided 
the  soil  is  fairly  fertile  is  as  well  without  fresh  manure.  A  favourable 
condition  of  the  weather  will  be  seized  for  planting,  and  if  the  soil  is  in 
the  slightest  degree  inclined  to  surface  dampness  it  will  be  found 
beneficial  to  run  a  Dutch  hoe  through  it,  when  dryness  will  soon  follow. 
It  may  occur,  however,  as  it  did  in  1895,  that  the  ground  is  so  wet  that 
the  plants  cannot  be  firmed  at  planting,  and  in  these  circumstances  the 
less  the  ground  is  touched  the  better.  The  soil  in  the  seedling  boxes 
being  somewhat  dry,  in  order  to  facilitate  lifting  without  root  breakage, 
the  young  plants  are  taken  out  a  number  together,  the  soil  shaken  from 
the  roots,  and  a  shallow  trench  having  been  taken  out  with  a  spade,  the 
first  line  is  planted,  spacing  the  plants  3  inches  apart.  Seven  inches 
from  the  first  line  the  second  is  in  like  manner  set  out,  and  then  a  few 
Spruce  twigs  are  firmly  inserted  alongside  each  line,  to  serve  alike  for  a 
present  protection  from  the  weather,  and  later  as  a  slight  support  to  the 
crop.  Hoeing  and  watering  comprise  the  work  necessary  until  the 
flowering  period.  A  simple  proceeding  at  this  point  hastens  in  a 
material  degree  the  filling  of  the  pods.  This  is  simply  pinching  off  the 
tops  of  the  plants.  Nor  does  earliness  alone  follow.  The  pod9  as  well 
as  the  peas  they  enclose  are  enlarged  to  a  very  appreciable  extent. 
The  Second  Crop. 
This  is  quite  as  important  as  the  first,  because  then  an  uninterrupted 
daily  supply  of  a  better  quality  of  Pea  is  expected.  One  may,  of  course, 
sow  in  the  open  the  same  variety  that  has  been  raised  in  boxes,  but  when 
it  is  discovered  that  the  labour  attached  to  the  production  of  a  crop  in 
the  way  I  have  endeavoured  to  describe  is  little  if  anything  greater 
than  by  growing  altogether  in  the  open,  and  with  the  added  assurance 
of  greater  certainty  ;  then  the  raising  of  second  early  sorts  in  boxes 
loses  much  of  its  distaste,  and  a  few  are  accordingly  produced  in  this 
way.  The  seeds  do  not  of  course  need  to  be  sown  so  early,  and  there 
is  less  work  iD  protecting.  At  least  a  ridge  of  soil  ought  to  be  drawn 
up  to  each  line  after  planting,  for  though  less  effective  than  a  little 
hedge  of  Spruce  branchlets,  it  is  better  than  nothing  at  all.  Some  of 
the  plants  should,  if  possible,  be  lined  off  in  a  warm  position,  the  others 
in  the  open  quarters. 
Varieties. 
Some  good  Peas  are  included  in  the  following  : — William  I.,  as  a  variety 
that  for  many  years,  on  account  of  its  many  good  qualities,  has  held  a 
foremost  position,  cannot  be  lightly  set  aside.  Of  several  novelties  I 
look  forward  to  another  year’s  trial  before  saying  anything  about 
them.  Last  spring  I  sowed  Carter’s  Early  Favourite,  which  proved 
an  enormous  cropper,  having  curiously  shaped  pods  with  peas  large 
and  of  delicious  flavour.  This  Pea  impressed  me  very  favourably. 
Of  Gradus  I  hope  to  have  something  to  say  on  another  opportunity  ; 
meanwhile  it  may  be  not  out  of  place  to  recommend  allowing  the  seeds 
at  least  6  inches  apart  in  the  lines.  Daisy,  which  was  sown  a  little  later, 
grew  much  better  than  it  did  in  1894.  I  have  a  decided  preference  for 
dwarf  Peas  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  procuring  good  sticks  in 
sufficient  quantity  to  support  tall  sorts  efficiently.  No  Pea,  however, 
require  sticks  more  than  5  feet  out  of  the  ground,  as  when  the  haulm 
shows  that  it  will  overtop  the  height  determined  the  tops  are  removed. 
Among  other  Maincrop  Peas  I  had  last  year  Wem  and  Memorial. 
Both  are  strong  growing  varieties  of  high-class  quality.  I  thought 
Memorial  an  excellent  Pea.  Critic  is  also  well  worthy  attention,  and 
in  Epicure  we  have  one  of  the  best  flavoured  summer  varieties  that  it  is 
possible  to  cultivate.  Webb’s  Senator  was  remarkable  for  the  extra¬ 
ordinary  crop  it  bore,  though  the  flavour  was  with  me  not  so  good  as 
in  Eckford’s  seedlings  nor  in  Veitch’s  Maincrop,  which  proved  to  be,  not¬ 
withstanding  its  somewhat  strong  habit,  a  good  main  crop  variety. 
The  thin  sowing  of  the  seeds  is  a  matter  of  the  utmost  importance 
where  really  first  class  table  Peas  are  required  ;  and  nothing,  when  the 
initial  mistake  of  thick  sowing  has  been  perpetrated,  can  afterwards 
make  up  for  the  error.  There  is,  of  course,  a  seeming  gain  on  the  side 
of  thick  sowing  in  the  apparently  large  crop  of  poda  that  sets.  But 
things  are  not  always  what  they  seem  ;  and,  consequently,  the  mere 
number  of  pods  proves  nothing.  What  is  secured  in  thinly  growing 
plants  is  a  crop  of  large  pods  containing  large  peas,  that  I  am  certain 
will  bulk  equally  large  with  the  more  numerous  though  smaller  peas  of 
a  thick  growing  crop.  As  to  the  question  of  flavour,  the  former  are 
always  so  superior  that  it  alone  should  be  sufficient  to  decide  the  matter. 
Just  another  item  :  The  baulm  of  Peas  when  removed  ought  to  be  cut 
off  and  not  pulled  up.  Science  has  taught  ub  that  the  roots  of  Peas 
become  stores  of  nitrogenous  food,  that  if  left  in  the  ground  leave  it 
more  fertile  than  it  was  when  the  crop  was  sown.  Nor  unless  the  haulm 
has  been  allowed  to  remain  until  it  has  yellowed  should  the  latter  be 
wasted,  as  it  contains  in  appreciable  amounts  other  plant  foods.  The 
thrifty  method,  consequently,  is  that  which  clears  it  away  when  still 
green  and  allows  it  to  decay  in  the  compost  heap. — B. 
BEGONIA  WINTER  GEM. 
We  can  tell  “  S.  Y.  M.”  that  this  was  raised  from  a  cross  between 
B.  socotrana  and  a  tuberous  crimson-scarlet  seedling.  It  is  of  dwarf 
habit,  with  rounded  leaves,  and  soft,  rosy,  well  flormed  flowers,  rather 
suggestive  of  the  modern  Zonal  Pelargonium.  It  is  free,  lasts  well,  and 
is  especially  valuable  for  the  fact  that  it  flowers  regularly  in  December, 
lasting  to  the  end  of  January.  It  is  a  singular  circumstance  that  the 
flowers  seem  to  be  all  staminate,  and  this  has  been  a  difficulty  in 
perpetuating  the  type.  Fortunately  they  are  increased  by  cuttings  or 
bulbils,  and  every  advance  made  will  be  watched  with  much  interest. 
FIG.  19. — BEGONIA  WINTER  GEM 
The  treatment  usually  accorded  to  winter-flowering  Begonias  suits  this 
perfectly.  It  was  introduced  by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Chelsea, 
about  ten  years  ago. 
PLUMBAGO  ROSEA. 
Were  I  to  look  through  the  list  of  winter  flowering  plants,  I  do  not 
think  I  could  find  one  more  worthy  of  comment  than  Plumbago  rosea. 
Of  course  those  who  are  acquainted  with  this  plant  will  readily  and 
properly  conclude  that  I  am  referring  to  its  usefulness  for  brightening 
our  stoves  or  other  glass  structures,  in  which  a  temperature  of  50°  and 
upwards  can  be  maintained,  as  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  its  qualities 
for  house  decoration,  or  for  cutting  purposes,  are  considerably  below 
par,  by  reason  of  its  susceptibility  to  shed  its  flowers  if  subjected  to 
extreme  temperatures  or  disturbed  in  any  great  measure.  Although  it 
is  most  useful  for  associating  with  the  various  other  occupants  of 
the  stove,  I  do  not  think  its  real  merits  are  thereby  revealed ,  the  effect 
produced  being  nothing  as  compared  with  that  which  may  be  obtained 
by  treating  the  plant  as  a  climber. 
Having  been  very  successful  in  the  cultivation  of  this  particular 
plant  for  several  years,  a  few  words  pertaining  to  my  method  of  culti- 
