116 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  uOTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  7,  1901. 
Culture  of  Peas. 
Peas,  dwarf,  medium  growers,  and  tall  varieties,  are  all  cultivated 
with  varying  degrees  of  success  in  the  majority  of  gardens.  Few, 
indeed,  are  the  persons  who  do  not  enjoy  a  dish  of  sweet,  tender, 
delicious  garden  Peas  when  they  are  ready  in  the  month  of  June. 
Peas  are  amongst  the  choicest  of  vegetables,  and  great  efforts  are  imde 
by  gardeners  to  produce  crops  early  in  the  open  ground.  During  the 
month  of  February  the  early  sorts  may  be  sown  on  a  warm  sheltered 
border,  choosing  those  varieties  of  a  dwarf  habit,  but  which  are  known 
to  be  productive  when  well  and  liberally  treated. 
Chelsea  Gem  is  an  ex'ra  early  variety  growing  about  15  inches 
high,  and  forms  compact,  sbort-jointed  haulm.  The  Peas  are  of  fair 
size  and  excebent  quality  and  as  the  pods  are  produced  in  pairs,  the 
yield  of  a  well-cultivated  row  is  abundant.  A  good  variety  to  follow 
the  preceding  is  Gradus,  a  distinct  early  marrow,  having  large  pods 
well  filled.  The  height  Gradus  attains  to  is  3  feet. 
Instead  of  sowing  the  seed  direct  on  a  warm  border  and  trusting 
to  weather,  circumstances,  and  due  attention,  the  seed  may  be  sown  in 
pots  or  b  xes  under  glass,  so  as  to  forward  the  plants  to  a  fair  height ; 
gradually  harden  and  plant  out.  Long,  narrow  boxes,  are  really  the 
best  receptacles.  Tney  should  have  movable  ends  or  sides  so  that  the 
plants  and  roots  can  slide  out  without  injury  to  one  or  the  other.  It 
is  a  good  plan  to  sow  the  seed  on  strips  of  turf  placed  grass  side 
downwards  in  the  box,  scooping  out  a  drill  in  the  turf  to  receive  the 
seed,  which  should  not  be  sown  thickly,  and  cover  with  fine  soil. 
Water,  and  place  the  boxes  in  a  cool  house  near  the  glass,  and  where 
air  can  reach  them  in  abundance  after  the  seed  has  germinated. 
If  the  plan  of  sowing  in  pots  is  adopted  use  or  4-inch  pots. 
Drain  the  base  with  a  piece  of  turf,  and  fill  the  pots  with  good  loamy 
soil,  adhesive  ralher  than  light,  so  as  to  produce  a  sturdy  growth. 
Place  the  seeds  an  inch  apart,  and  cover  firmly  with  fine  soil.  When 
the  plants  either  in  pots  or  boxes  begin  to  grow  freely,  a  position  in  a 
frame  is  more  suitable  than  one  in  a  house  where  they  would  rapidly 
become  drawn.  Keep  the  soil  moist,  and  take  every  favourable 
opportunity  to  admit  air  freely  to  them,  as  success  largely  depends 
upon  maintaining  a  compact  growth  until  suitable  weather  occurs  to 
plant  out  finally. 
The  final  planting  may  take  place  about  the  end  of  March  or 
early  April.  A  warm,  sheltered  border  is  imperative,  and  protection 
as  soon  as  planted  is  indispensable.  The  protection  should  not  be 
anything  that  will  exclude  light  from  the  young  plants,  but 
something  that  serves  to  break  the  force  of  cutting  east  winds,  hence 
the  most  protection  is  necessary  on  the  windward  side.  Feathery 
branches  of  evergreen  shrubs  serve  very  well  for  this  purpose,  but  the 
rows  ought  first  to  have  the  necessary  quantity  of  permanent  sticks 
placed  al  ng  each  side.  In  the  event  of  very  untoward  weather  it 
may  be  compulsory  to  give  protection  with  mats  for  a  short  time  to 
prevent  them  receiving  serious  injury.  Peas,  either  planted  or  sown 
on  a  warm  border,  being  as  a  rule  early  varieties,  and  dwarf  in  habit, 
may  1  e  arranged  in  rows  2  feet  apart.  Slightly  taller  varieties  may 
be  3  feet. 
The  ground  must  be  kept  stirred  about  them  to  encourage  growth, 
and  as  the  Peas  come  in  bloom  mulch  with  manure  on  each  side  the 
rows.  Beginning  in  the  middle  of  February  and  successiona  ly  every 
fortnight  until  May,  one  or  several  rows  of  second  early  and  main  crop 
varieties  should  be  sown. 
The  following  are  some  of  the  best  standard  sorts  adapted  for 
various  soils  and  positions,  but  as  opinions  and  tastes  differ  the 
selection  may  not  be  ap|  licable  to  all,  but  it  is  easy  to  substitute  the 
more  favoured  varieties.  Duke  of  Albany,  Prince  of  Wales,  Advancer, 
Telegraph,  Telephone,  Stratagem,  and  Fillbasket  are  varieties  difficult 
to  excel  when  grown  in  the  best  possible  manner.  For  late  crops 
Veitch’s  Autocrat  has  won  golden  opinions  as  an  unrivalled  leading 
variety.  It  has  proved  to  be  excellent  for  several  years.  Another  good 
and  indispensable  variety  for  late  use  is  Ne  Plus  Ultra. 
Fur  the  maincrop  varieties  a  more  open  position  in  the  garden  is 
requisite.  The  soil  should  be  worked  deeply,  and  enriched  well  with 
manure.  Trenching  and  burying  the  manure  low  down  is  the  best 
and  most  thorough  method  of  preparing  a  site  for  Peas.  Ground 
which  has  previously  been  well  worked  for  some  preceding  crop  that 
has  not  abstracted  food  too  freely  will  produce  good  results.  Celery 
trenches  are  usually  good  positions  for  Peas,  because  of  the  exira 
depth  which  the  soil  has  been  worked  or  broken  up  in  the  process  of 
earthing.  Trenching,  when  this  method  of  preparation  is  adopted, 
should  be  carried  out  to  the  depth  of  three  spits,  placing  the  manure 
between  the  second  and  third  spits.  Horse  manure  is  undoubtedly 
the  best  for  heavy  soils,  while  for  light  and  sandy  giound  that  of  a 
heavy  and  cooling  character,  such  as  cow  and  pig  manure,  are  more 
useful. 
Solid  and'  natural  manures  are  specially  useful  as  food  for  the 
roots  when  they  begin  to  descend  in  search  of  food  as  well  as 
moisture.  It  is  much  better  that  the  roots  should  go  down  instead 
of  ramifying  too  much  on  the  surface,  where  the  soil  dries  and 
causes  failure.  A  mixture,  however,  of  chemical  manures  may  be 
worked  into  the  surface  previous  to  sowing.  The  following  is 
excellent  i — Half-pound  each  of  kainit,  nitrate  of  soda,  and 
superphosphate,  adding  3  lbs.  of  salt.  Apply  half  this  mixture  to  a 
square  rod  of  ground  before  sowing,  and  a  similar  quantity  as  soon 
as  the  plants  reach  a  height  of  6  inches.  Guano,  or  some  of  the 
advertised  artificial  manures,  may  also  be  scattered  along  the  drills 
>  nd  covered  with  soil,  using  the  manure  at  the  rate  of  a  pound  per 
square  yard. 
Give  medium  and  tall-growing  Peas  plenty  of  room  between  the 
rows.  Not  less  than  4  feet  between  the  rows  should  be  given  when 
the  Peas  attain  the  height  of  4  or  5  feet,  and  6  feet  distance  for  those 
growing  5  or  6  fe  t.  Wider  distances  than  these  are  frequently 
suven,  the  intervening  space  being  cropped  with  other  vegetables. 
Draw  the  drills  for  sowing  with  a  draw  hoe  6  inches  wide  and  3  inches 
deep.  Place  the  seeds  over  the  space  about  an  inch  apart.  Should 
mice  be  troublesome  moisten  the  seeds  before  sowing,  and  rub  them  in 
dry  red  lead. 
Immediately  the  seed  germinates  other  enemies  in  the  shape  of 
birds  will  nip  off  the  plumules  almost  bt-fore  they  issue  through  the 
soil.  It  is  desirable,  therefore,  to  give  protection  in  time.  This  is 
best  done  by  covering  the  rows  with  the  arched  wire  protectors 
expressly  made  for  this  purpose.  Protection,  however,  is  often 
effectually  afforded  by  stringing  black  cotton  over  the  rows,  indeed 
in  the  absence  of  wire  guards  the  st  ings  of  cotton  tightly  drawn  an 
inch  apart  well  over  the  rows  is  the  next  best  method.  Semi¬ 
circular  boards  studded  on  the  upper  side  with  nails  should  be  affixed 
at  each  end  of  the  rows  to  attach  the  c  ffton  to,  and  some  support 
must  be  afforded  in  the  middle  to  preveut  sagging.  When  the  Peas 
have  reached  the  height  of  2  or  3  inches  they  are  usually  safe  from 
injury  by  birds.  Then  the  wire  guards  may  be  withdrawn,  but  it  is 
not  necessary  to  remove  cotton  as  the  Peas  will  grow  through  it. 
Draw  earth  to  each  side  of  the  rows,  and  then  proceed  to  place 
sticks  to  them,  using  those  of  a  length  sufficient  for  the  height  of  the 
variety.  Flat  branching  sticks  are  the  best.  Fill  up  the  bare  spaces 
at  the  base  with  twiggy  pieces,  and  cut  the  tops  level  and  neatly. 
Peas  in  lull  growth  abstract  much  moisture  from  the  soil,  hence  in 
dry  periods  recourse  must  be  had  to  applying  water  and  liquid  manure 
copiously.  The  labour,  however,  in  this  resp  ct  may  be  lessened  by 
laying  down  on  each  side  the  row  a  rich  mulching  of  manure,  doing 
this  when  the  Peas  come  in  flower.  It  is  from  the  latter  period  to 
the  time  of  gathering  that  food  and  moisture  should  not  be  lacking. 
Previous  to  watering  applications  of  chemical  manure  may  be  given, 
and  they  will  wash  into  the  soil  and  benefit  the  roots. — E.  D.  S. 
- - «.#.* - 
Spring-flowering  Magnolias. 
The  free-floweriDg  qualities  of  many  of  the  Magnolias  place  them 
amongst  the  most  popular  plants  for  the  adornment  of  the  outdoor 
garden,  whilst  their  fragrance  forms  an  additional  recommendation  in 
their  favour.  Between  the  early  and  late-floweriDg  sections  a  great 
difference  exists  in  the  way  in  which  the  flowers  are  produced.  In  the 
late-flowering  section  the  blossoms  are  usually  borne  a  few  at  once  over 
a  period  of  several  months,  it  rarely  happening  that  the  majority  are 
open  at  any  one  time.  With  the  spring-flowering  group  the  exact 
opposite  is  the  case,  the  majority  of  the  flowers  opening  at  or  about 
the  same  time,  making  one  grand  display  extending  over  a  period  of 
three  or  four  weeks.  The  following  species  and  hybrids  may  be 
included  under  the  above  heading. 
M.  conspicua  (“The  Yulan.”). — A  fairly  well-known  plant  introduced 
from  China  and  Japan  upwards  of  a  century  ago.  In  China  it  is  said  to 
grow  from  20  to  40  feet  in  height ;  here  it  rarely  reaches  20  feet.  The 
flowers  are  of  thick  texture,  glistening  white  and  fragrant.  They  are 
produced  in  such  profusion  as  to  quite  hide  the  leafless  branches.  Large 
specimens  are  to  be  seen  in  several  gardens  about  London,  notably  at 
Kew,  Syon  House,  and  Gunnersbury  Park. 
M.  obovata. — This  is  a  free-flowering  Chinese  species,  forming  a 
large  bush  5  or  6  feet  high  with  the  same  diameter.  The  flowers  are 
large,  cup-shaped,  white  inside,  deep  purple  outside,  and  delightfully 
fragrant. 
M.  stellata. — One  of  the  most  beautiful  of  all  flowering  shrubs.  The 
flowers  are  star-shaped,  4  inches  across,  and  borne  with  the  greatest 
freedom.  They  also  have  the  additional  advantage  of  being  very  sweetly 
scented.  In  habit  it  forms  a  dense  bush  4  to  5  feet  high.  It  has  been 
in  cultivation  for  a  considerable  time,  but  like  many  other  Japanese 
plants,  it  is  only  within  the  last  ten  years  that  it  has  become  widely 
