Evening star., 1925-10-06

sible. Unless we do, the vines will
wlther two or three weeks after real
hot weather hits them
X Y X X
The ground should be p,llverized,
dug and redug, in readiness for the
planting An advice Of perfection
would he to dig the ground at least
feet deep-perhaps Is inches or so
will be enough.
up for the Winter. the ordinary meth
od of making a trench. and then rak.
ing the dirt In as they grow Is not
advised for Fail planting. Put the
seed IN, about inches down. and then
cover the whole up even, putting
a mulch OF leaves about . inches thick
on top of the ground.
Before we cover the seed, however,
we might incorporate with them two
materials which ere supposed to help.
l say supposed because l cannot posi-.
lively say they will. Theory, however,
Is all in their favor.
One OF the materials is nitrogen bac-
teria, which may be purchased cheap
ly for this special purpose. 1t NAV be
sprlnkled in the ground with the seed
We used 1t last Spring. and what sue.
cess we had at that time with sweet
peas we attribute to the lively bac.
terra. Until our peas withered, they
were large and beautiful, much better
than we had ever been able to raise
before.
The other material we are going to
try Is certain variety Of peat moss.
which, placed about a foot down, is
supposed to retain water as we'll as
provide humus for the soil The in
corporation OF manure In any form
cannot be advised for sweet peas.
II the water Is not down there at
the roots Of the plan you cannot put
enough on above to do any good I
have soaked them by the hour. and
they burn up just the same.
Up North. and out in the Middle
West. ii Is generally advised to pla Mt
sweet peas in a trench running north
and south. Such a position, theoreti-
cally, is the best. but l am not sure 1t
makes much difference here.
Some say that in the District, in
order to protect the vines from the
where they will get the sun only about
an hour or two each day. This is
worth trying.
Certainly. if one plants them in the
full sun. some such methods az l have
suggested must. be followed to put
and keep the water at the roots. In
any event. such methods will not hurt.
II any one has the room. it would
be an interesting experiment TO try
planting them in two places, one posi-
tion north and south in full sun, and
the other Din any direction,, in half
shade.
The best advice ! can give, there
fore. is summa rized as follows:
/. Plant the seed about inches
deep In the Fall just before the first
freeze.
>. Incorporate with them some nitro
gen-f1xins bacteria, but only sma II
amount, proba bly, less than the direc-
tions call for.
3. Put peat moss about foot down,
say to inches underneath the seed.
4. Cover level with ground, and put
slight mulch Of leaves over all. II
the plants should come up 100 early,
increase the mulch.
3. When up. next Spring, do not
water often. If the water is not down
where the roots are, you cannot put
1t there,
s. Give your vines string, not wire,
TO climb on.
I. DO not use manure.
&. Keep the blossoms picked.
?. Spray for aphids, il necessary.
10. Trust the Gardener Of the
World, in whose keeping are both the
flowers and we who love them. Ii
the Lord keep not our sweet peas, we
watch in-Naip who raise them -.