The Yellow Lupine is a native of Sicily. It is a hardy annual, and resembles the foregoing species in its general character. The flowers are yellow; the pods are about two inches long, hairy, flattened, and enclose four or five large, roundish, speckled seeds. It blossoms and ripens at the same time with the White, and is planted and cultivated in the same manner.
This species is grown in Italy for the same purposes as the White, but more extensively. It is also grown in some parts of the south of France, on poor, dry grounds, for cutting in a green state, and ploughing under as a fertilizer.
THE PEA.
Pisum sativum.
The native country of the Pea, like that of many of our garden vegetables, is unknown. It is a hardy, annual plant; and its cultivation and use as an esculent are almost universal.
To give in detail the various methods of preparing the soil, sowing, culture, gathering, and use, would occupy a volume.
The following directions are condensed from an elaborate treatise on the culture of this vegetable, by Charles M'Intosh, in his excellent work entitled "The Book of the Garden:"—
Soil and its Preparation.—The Pea comes earliest to maturity in light, rich soil, abounding in humus: hence the practice of adding decomposed leaves or vegetable mould has a very beneficial effect. For general crops, a rich, hazel loam, or deep, rich, alluvial soil, is next best; but, for the most abundant of all, a strong loam, inclining to clay. For early crops, mild manure, such as leaf-mould, should be used. If the soil is very poor, stronger manure should be employed. For general crops, a good dressing may be applied; and for the dwarf kinds, such as Tom Thumb, Bishop's New Long Pod, and the like, the soil can hardly be too rich.
Seed and Sowing.—A quart of ripe pease is equal to about two pounds' weight; and contains, of the largest-sized varieties, about thirteen hundred, and of the smaller descriptions about two thousand, seeds. A pint of the small-seeded sorts, such as the Daniel O'Rourke, Early Frame, and Early Charlton, will sow a row about sixty feet in length; and the same quantity of larger-growing sorts will sow a row of nearly a hundred feet, on account of being sown so much thinner. A fair average depth for covering the seed is two and a half or three inches; though some practise planting four or five inches deep, which is said to be a preventive against the premature decay of the vines near the roots.